11 May 2022

The Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) cold storage facility in Cape Town, South Africa, is a national strategic asset, says President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi.

“This is a strategic facility that needs to be the standard bearer and it is placed in a good location,” he said when touring the facility on Tuesday.

Managed by BMC subsidiary, Table Bay Cold Storage and Logistics (TBCS), the facility is located 800 metres from Cape Town harbour and has 25 000 square metres capacity for the warehousing of meat, fruits, potatoes, poultry and dairy products.

President Masisi said it should be enhanced to improve the country's export and import potential.

He urged the TBCS board and management to come up with strategies to improve the facility’s business and increase revenue.

In addition, he advised them to market the facility.

Noting that Cape Town hosted high end tourists, the President  said TBCS should market the unique Botswana beef to them through  its retail outlet.

"This could be a test case of how well we could do in Europe," said Dr Masisi.

President Masisi said  BMC operations would be improved and modern technology acquired while beef exports would be increased.

He urged TBCS to follow suit with clear timelines for delivery promising them government support in revamping the business so that it benefited farmers.  

"We will fully support this company because of the great value proposition for us," said President Masisi.

Stating that ordinary Batswana cattle farmers should be the ultimate beneficiaries, the President said the aim was to create more revenue for their benefit.

Minister of Agriculture, Mr Fidelis Molao disclosed that government planned investing in the facility to ensure that it reached its full potential.

He said along with Botswana’s  dry port in Namibia, the facility was a strategic asset as it provided an alternative export and import route.

"Here lies an untapped potential of receiving import traffic into Botswana which we may choose to land link to other countries," Mr Molao said.

The minister noted that TBCS had recently started providing shipping and distribution support for South African, Lesotho and Namibian companies and diversified into handling non-beef products.

"Since BMC had a limited scope of beef exports the facility has been under-utilised," said Mr Molao.

He said the facility had the potential to evolve into a mega asset offering Botswana an empirical chance to actively have a voice in the global supply chain.

TBCS was founded and incorporated by Cape Town‘s Michelsen family in 1941 and was acquired by BMC in 1987.
 

It is one of the few European Union approved cold storage facilities in the region. Ends