Botswana Beef Exports Slump 89% After Exports to Europe Halted
Beef exports from Botswana fell 89 percent in February after the country halted shipments to the European Union, according to the Bank of Botswana.
Botswana’s beef shipments were 7.5 million pula ($1.2 million) in the month, compared with 66.3 million in January, according to a statement from the Gaborone-based central bank.
The state-owned Botswana Meat Commission is working to solve problems outlined in a January EU inspection, including better identification of animals, said Phil Motsu, head of veterinary services with the country’s Agriculture Ministry. The commission wants to restart shipments to the EU by September, he said today.
Botswana, which also exports meat to neighboring South Africa and Namibia, is looking for other markets in Africa and Asia, said David Felapau, the chief executive officer of the Lobatse-based commission.
“We might change the volume that we put into the EU market but we will never walk away from them completely,” he said by phone today.
To contact the reporter on this story: Jerry Bungu in Gaborone via Johannesburg at gbell16@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin at asguazzin@bloomberg.net.
Rate this Page