Staff Writer
THE Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group, through its Hartlief Group subsidiary, has invested N$ 43 million in the re-opening of the Farmers Meat abattoir in Mariental.
The Hartlief Group invested N$3 million re-opening the abattoir and N$40 million as working capital.
Farmers Meat’s continued operations in October 2022, were officially marked on August 3, with the abattoir having a ceremony to formally mark the re-opening.
Speaking at the ceremony, Agriculture Minister, Calle Schlettwein emphasised the necessity of unleashing the country’s agriculture sector’s economic potential.
“We fully recognise the importance of agriculture in addressing food and nutrition security, as well as decent livelihoods. Over the years, our collective policies and strategic interventions have gradually converted our country from being an exporter of live animals to an exporter of value-added agricultural goods, and Farmers Meat has played a significant role in this collective endeavor. Farmers Meat have engaged in value-added businesses that are transforming our economic structure, shifting our reliance away from raw material trade and toward finished product trading. This is the epitome of growth at home and should be emulated in other economic sectors.
“With the opening of this facility, sheep and other small stock producers are being challenged to increase their annual output in order to meet the throughput requirements of this facility as well as the strong domestic and export demand for the products. The benefits to the local economy and the town of Mariental are substantial, and they manifest themselves in the form of strong demand for goods and services, local sourcing, and other connected industries such as logistics and packaging,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Agriculture Ministry, for its part, reiterated its commitment to provide support services such as veterinary, sanitary, and phytosanitary services in support of operations of this sort and the associated supply chains.”
Hardap region Governor, Rev. Salomon April, expressed his council’s dedication to generating job opportunities and improving infrastructure despite hurdles such as commercial farmer finance.
He also emphasised the importance of public-private sector collaboration.
“We have a large pool of employable individuals among our working-age population, which provides an advantage for industries looking to establish a presence here,” April says.
“We want to thank Hartlief and the O&L Group for their investment in our region. Their dedication and capital investment have not only provided economic growth, but also much-needed job opportunities for our inhabitants. We applaud their vision and foresight in recognising the potential of our region, as well as their commitment to contributing to its progress. As we celebrate Farmers Meat’s re-opening, we envisage a future in which our region grows economically and our people are empowered and prosperous. Let us work together, embracing collaboration and creativity, to realise the Hardap region’s full potential,” the Governor said.
Hartlief Group Chairman, and O&L Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Wessie van der Westhuizen emphasised on the importance of sustainable development, technological advancement, and inclusive growth.
“The re-opening of Farmers Meat in October 2022 has already had a remarkable impact. We paid approximately N$75 million to sheep producers between October 2022 and June this year, as Namibia’s largest sheep abattoir operation and the country’s only permitted exporter of sheep meat. This demonstrates our commitment to assisting local farmers and promoting economic development in our communities.
“Furthermore, through Farmers Meat, Namibian lamb’s exceptional quality is showcased and enjoyed on an international scale. We have already began exporting deboned lamb to Norway, and we are about to ship our first shipment to Germany (EU) and Bermuda (Caribbean Islands). However, in order to preserve this infrastructure, government must hasten plans to export to China, the Middle East, and the United States. Obtaining export status allows us to access lucrative foreign markets, the SADC area, and the larger African market, providing huge growth potential for our company and Namibia as a whole.
“Our goals for Farmers Meat are lofty. We intend to process 55 000 sheep in this fiscal year. Looking ahead, we intend to manage between 100 000 and 170 000 sheep in 2024, which will necessitate additional expenditure. We hope to attain full manufacturing capacity by 2025, processing 280 000 sheep. This will need additional investments, which we are eager to make. As a result, the abattoir will be temporarily closed from August 7 to September 4, to allow for extensive maintenance, enhancements, upgrades, and investment in the plant,” van der Westhuizen said.
Farmers Meat General Manager, Trevor du Toit said the reopening marks an important milestone in our journey, and they look forward to continuing to make a good effect in Namibia’s meat business, particularly the sheep sector.
“This reopening marks an important milestone in our journey, and we look forward to continuing to make a good effect in Namibia’s meat business, particularly the sheep sector. Farmers Meat would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to our investors, O&L and Hartlief, for their continuous support and financial commitment to our initiative. Your faith in our abattoir’s vision and potential was vital in making our dream a reality,” he said.
