Namibia has recorded a significant increase of 4.9 per cent in pork imports from the European Union (EU) in the first quarter of 2023.

A Livestock and Meat Industry report released by the Meat Board of Namibia here Tuesday indicated that local pork production met 31.5 per cent of domestic pork consumption requirements, while imports (including offal and processed goods) met the remaining 68.5 per cent.

It said pork imports for the first quarter of 2023 were primarily recorded from Germany at 52.8 per cent, Spain (24.5 per cent), South Africa (9.2 per cent), and the EU (13.4 per cent).

A total of 2 223 415 kg of pork was imported during the first three months of 2023, compared to 2 120 551 kg imported during the same period in 2022.

The huge increase in pork imports from the EU market is due to the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in South Africa, which has required a shift as an alternative.

The move has been associated with large retail price increases as a result of import tariffs charged based on the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) common external tariff schedule, it read.

It further said that the Pork Steering Committee, at its meeting on 13 February 2023, resolved to keep the ceiling price at the December 2022 level of N.dollars 51.03/kg in line with the Pork Steering Committee resolution of 18 February 2020, as a risk mitigation approach.

The higher of the calculated ceiling price and the fixed level N.dollars 51.03/kg will be maintained until a new suggested pork ceiling price is implemented, it added.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency