23 Nov 2015

The newly appointed Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) executive manager for livestock procurement says his company has improved its paying system to ensure that farmers are paid on time for the livestock procured from them.

Speaking at a Kgotla meeting held in Letlhakane on Thursday, Mr Kenneth Makubate indicated that in the past his organisation was financially incapacitated hence the delay in farmers’ payments.

He assured farmers that lately payments are done within 14 days including weekends as a way of improving their business relations with them.

Mr Makubate indicated that the Francistown abattoir is experiencing shortage of cattle for slaughter despite the fact that statistics show that the Boteti region which is in their catchment area has a considerable number of cattle which can be sold.

On the issue of pricing for livestock purchased, he said that they are consistent throughout the country and do not fluctuate willy-nilly.

 “As compared to other neighbouring countries it is evident that BMC is paying farmers much better prices for their livestock,” he said.

He noted that the reasons why they are procuring animals with a minimum weight of 240 kg was because they incurred a lot of costs as BMC had to feed them before they were ready for slaughter. One of the farmers Omphile Galebotsane decried instances whereby their livestock were returned in large numbers as they were said to be underweight stating that the tendency was exacerbating the lack of cattle at Francistown Abattoir.

In response, Mr Makubate said if that was the case they had to mitigate the situation by finding a solution to this situation as it was evident that it impacted negatively on farmers as far as their financial costs were concerned.
He further assured farmers that BMC will guarantee that there are watering points where livestock awaiting procurement can drink at the same time make it a point that officers strictly adhere to stipulated dates of sale to avoid any inconveniences to them.

“Strict measures will be taken against officers who do not comply with dates which have been set for procurement with farmers,” he continued.

Another farmer Oaitse Mmatlakgomo advised BMC to relinquish the role of running feedlots to allow private owners to run them.

In response plant manager for Francistown Abattoir Mr. Bosiela Saudu said that he wholeheartedly concurred with him and said the hindrance was that European Union (EU) compliance measures stipulated that traceability records of each animal should be provided to them a gesture that was still difficult to be met by most farmers as they did not keep this vital information.

He further indicated that the reason why Francistown Abattoir was not EU compliant was that the border between Botswana and Zimbabwe was a concern to them as far as animal diseases is concerned. Ends