Fuel price hikes trigger agriculture cost

By Martha Nangombe

“Drought-driven marketing coupled with favourable producer prices led to increased slaughtering activities, rising to 11,909 cattle in July 2023 compared to 9,597 in July 2022. Live (weaners) exports increased from 12 482 animals in June 2023 to 15 577 animals exported during July 2023. South African weaner prices remained higher than their Namibian counterpart. They averaged N$33.75/kg in July 2023, bringing the gap between Namibian and South African weaner prices to N$7.33/kg, making South African weaners pricier than Namibian weaners.

“Small Stock Marketing” increased drastically by 37 percent to 75,827 in July 2023, from 55,304 reported in July 2022. Every year, slaughtering activities climbed by 8 percent, and exports of live animals increased by 46 percent. Similarly, goat marketing increased by 18.4 per ent to 18,555 in July 2023 compared to July 2022,” the Month Market Watch report says.

According to the report, of this total, 99.8 percent (18 527 heads) were exported live to South Africa, mainly to the traditional Kwa-Zulu Natal market.

Meanwhile, the report pointed out that Namibia is expected to yield total cereals above the 5-year average in 2023, mainly resulting from the increased harvest from the irrigated maize production.

This comes as harvesting of the 2023 summer cereal crops is nearing completion, while minor winter wheat crop is expected to be harvested in September and October.

“According to the Crop Prospects and Food Situation report, the cereal production for the Southern African region was expected at an above-average level of 40 million tonnes. However, the adverse weather conditions and the tropical cyclones curbed yields in most countries. Following the initial favourable rainfall at the end of 2022 that facilitated planting activities, dryer weather conditions in March and April 2023 adversely affected cereal crops in southern Angola and across northern Namibia.”

The monthly market watch report says this has caused extensive crop wilting and reduced yields.

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