28 Jun 2021

Ghanzi beef farmers have called for liberalisation of the beef industry by ending Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) monopoly.

They said ending BMC monopoly would bring good returns to pastoral farmers and job seekers, at the same time boosting entire economy.  

The farmers made the call  during a meeting addressed by the Assistant Minister of Agriculture Development and food Security, Ms Beauty Manake, in Ghanzi recently.

The Chairperson of Ghanzi Beef Producers Association, Mr Quinton Barnes underscored the need to focus on small scale farmers whom he said would find some assurance in the liberalisation of the beef industry.  Further, doing so, woud    create job opportunities, he said.

He noted that the National Devellopment Plan ( NDP) 11 affirmed liberalisation of the beef industry and all that was needed was to implement it.

He said farmers were not against BMC but, were of the view that its operations should not be detrimental to small scale farmers.

Mr Barnes said how  BMC swas managed would spell its victory or doom.

“If it not managed properly it will fail and equally when there is political interference it will fail”.

Mr Barnes beef farmers should be able to decide where to sell their animals rather than being told where and how to sell their cattle.

He argued that as government allowed the live export of cattle, the dispensation should be across all categories of cattle, including cows.

The chairperson also said  the unavailabilityof a robust and long-term policy hugely impacted the beef industry, adding it was difficult to invest under such conditions.    

He said as farmers, they were highly disappointed about the smuggling of heifers saying government should take stern action against perpetrators.

This he said in respone to Assistant Minister Manake’s earlier remark that some Ghanzi farmers smuggled heifers to South Africa and tahat this could jeopardise the beef trading relations with South Africa.

Mr Barnes also expressed concern that mining activities in Ghanzi region had the potential to harm the beef industry in the area.

 “We are very concerned and we appeal to the Government to ensure  that the interests of beef farmers and arable farmers are protected,” he said.

One Ghanzi farmer, Mr Rudy Lemcke who is also a BMC board member, said the Government should not waste money refurbishing the current BMC abattoir structures but consider building a new abattoir as well as establishing new management and a new marketing strategy.

Mr Lemcke said BMC could be a huge asset if managed properly.

 “If private abattoir can export at a profit, why not BMC”

He said there were many people who wanted to finance it but not in its present state. He also agreed that  BMC must compete with other players.

 “We are ready to build our own abattoir and we are the biggest producers of cattle,” he said.

Mr Lemcke also expressed  concern that elephants were invading Ghanzi region.

“So it becomes impossible for farmers because Kuke cordon fence is in a bad state. Consider electrifying Kuke cordon fence to protect farmer’s from possible FMD spill over.”

Assistant minister, Ms Manake assured farmers that the Government was pushing for and the liberalisation of the beef industry, adding it was indeed a sustainable model.

She said transformation of the beef industry encompassed    strengthening   its value chain.

Concerning, the elapse of live export of cattle dispensation, she  assured farmers that there should be no cause for concern as the Government was considering reintroducing it. Ms Manake ealso assured the farmers that the mattter of a robust agricultural policy as well as issues relating to cordon fences would be dealt with.

On policy uncertainty, she said she was confident that the Government would make decisions beneficial to the beef industry.

 She reminded farmers that BMC   was the vehicle  to reach  the EU market.

“It might be ailing but is a vehicle to EU market,” she said. Ends