Farmers fear market loss after Katima abattoir scale down

Patience Makwele The scaling down of operations by the Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) at the Katima Mulilo abattoir has left farmers in the Zambezi region uncertain about the future of cattle marketing and the stability of the local livestock sector. Zambezi livestock farmer Kwenani Matengu said the development has created uncertainty among producers, although he was not entirely surprised by Meatco’s decision. “There is uncertainty, but for me it is not entirely new.

I understand that Meatco was operating under a contract, so at some point it was going to come to an end,” he said. Matengu said farmers are mainly concerned about whether they will still be able to sell their cattle. “As farmers, what we need is market continuity.

As long as there is a market and we are able to sell our animals at a good price, we do not have a problem,” he said. He warned that legal disputes or delays during the handover process could affect operations. “If there are challenges, especially if it goes to court, operations could stop.