Namibia raises US$3.81M from horse mackerel, hake quota auctions

NAMIBIA – Namibia’s government has raised N$68.4 million (US$3.81 million) from the auction of horse mackerel and hake fishing quotas, driven by strong demand from industry participants for both species.

The Ministry of Finance announced the results of the auction, stating that the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform held the sale on May 22, with bids exceeding the available quantities.

According to Finance Ministry Executive Director Oscar Capelao, the auction generated revenue from the sale of 11,037 tonnes of horse mackerel quotas and 1,719 tonnes of hake quotas, with the total also including N$22,000 (US$1,225) collected through application fees.

Capelao said the auction recorded higher prices than previous sales and that every tonne offered was allocated, leaving no quota remaining after the bidding process concluded.

The government received nine bids for horse mackerel quotas and seven bids for hake quotas, with applicants seeking more freezer and wet fish allocations than were available during the auction.

Earlier this year, the fisheries ministry reserved 35% of Namibia’s total allowable catch for horse mackerel under government control, while the current horse mackerel fishing season is scheduled to continue until the end of December and the hake season until the end of September.

Meat price survey highlights retail price differences

Meanwhile, a separate June 2026 butchery price comparison found considerable differences in the cost of meat products across retailers, with Hartlief recording the lowest total price for a basket of premium A-grade meat cuts.

Hartlief’s A-grade basket cost N$1,774.95 (US$98.84), ahead of Ready Bites at N$1,823.00 (US$101.52), Klein Windhoek Slagtery at N$1,948.65 (US$108.52), and Eros Meat Market at N$1,994.00 (US$111.04).

The survey found that Hartlief offered the lowest prices for T-bone steak, beef fillet, silverside and oxtail, while Ready Bites had the lowest prices for lamb carcass, lean mince and sirloin steak, and Eros Meat Market recorded the lowest prices for rump steak and rib eye steak.

For lower-priced products, Klein Windhoek Slagtery recorded the cheapest economic meat basket at N$685.44 (US$38.16), narrowly ahead of Elmo’s Butchery at N$690.65 (US$38.45), with Ready Bites, Eros Meat Market and Hartlief following in that order.

The comparison concluded that shoppers purchasing premium meat cuts could achieve the largest savings at Hartlief, while Klein Windhoek Slagtery remained the most affordable option for economic meat products, showing that comparing prices across retailers can significantly reduce household food costs.

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