Namibia’s Meatco announces plans to slaughter 75,000 cattle in current financial year
The company sets highest-ever target for communal farmer procurement
NAMIBIA – Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) says it has allocated a budget to slaughter 75,000 cattle during the financial year ending January 2026.
According to the company, more than 25,000 animals have already been slaughtered from both the southern regions and the areas north of the Veterinary Cordon Fence.
The announcement was made during a farmers’ seminar last week, which took place alongside the Annual Okakarara Trade Fair.
During the gathering, Meatco held discussions with producers, most of whom came from communal farming backgrounds.
As part of its strategy for the year, the company has committed to purchase 8,000 cattle from communal farmers, which will be the highest number it has ever sourced from this group.
In comparison, Meatco slaughtered 60,820 cattle in 2023, exceeding its initial target of 50,000 for the year.
The company’s 2023 annual report shows that it paid producers a total of US$50 million (N$946 million) for livestock during that period.
Out of the total animals slaughtered last year, 5,056 were sourced from north of the Veterinary Cordon Fence.
The new projections for 2025 come only a few weeks after the company announced leadership changes at the top level.
Former ambassador to France, Albertus Aochamub, was recently appointed as interim chief executive officer for six months, with the appointment taking effect immediately.
Meatco confirmed that the appointment followed a nomination by shareholders and was subsequently approved by the company’s board of directors.
The board stated that Aochamub brings experience in governance, economic diplomacy, value chain management, and institutional reform, which it considers key for the company’s operations.
His entry follows the brief tenure of a previous acting chief executive, making this the second leadership change in recent months.
The board added that it expects his leadership to provide direction as the company seeks to strengthen its supply to local markets while also expanding exports within the region and internationally.
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