The LRF Stockman School celebrated its 13th year’s this year. The theme was “the critical success factors for inclusive and profitable livestock value chains”. It Included speakers from Australia, USA, Brazil, China and Namibia.
The Southern African livestock industry is often referred to as the sleeping giant of the Agricultural sector. It’s called a sleeping giant because we can compete internationally with our excellent source of protein thus obtaining valuable foreign currency, create employment throughout the value chain and at the same time feed our own population. Research done by the Burau for Food and Production (BFAP) in South Africa shows that there has been no growth in the real Agricultural GDP, especially in the Livestock sector over the last decade. What are the opportunities? If South Africa for example could export 20% of its Livestock product, it would require an additional 450 000 weaners. It is also a well-known fact that our carcass prices are 30-50% lower than our international competitors that target the high value markets. South Africa currently exports 4% of its livestock product, with China consuming 30% of the total. If our export markets were to close, it is estimated that beef producers we would lose approximately R1500 per weaner calf.
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