Beef industry under severe pressure

Strict regulations imposed by the

EU are among the issues that

have cast a cloud over Botswana’s

beef export industry.

The landlocked southern African

country’s beef industry has been

under severe pressure for some time,

leading the Botswana Institute

for Development Policy Analysis

(BIDPA) to warn of export declines.

Local press reports indicate

concern from stakeholders across the

beef industry.

According to BIDPA, research

has indicated that the poor financial

performance of the Botswana Meat

Market (BMC), the single statutory

export market channel for beef, is

one of the main reasons for concern.

Trade reforms in the European

Union (EU) beef market as well as

ongoing drought in the country and

the continued outbreak of foot and

mouth disease all impact negatively.

At the same time controversy has

erupted over the use of ionosphores

by the entire Botswana beef industry

– a substance that is banned by the

EU.

The Sunday Standard recently

reported that no one was prepared to

take responsibility for the lapse that

could have resulted in the country’s

entire beef exports to the EU being

banned.