Namibia: Foot-and-Mouth DiseaseRestrictions Drive Up Meat Prices Across Namibia

What the report says

Meat prices are rising across parts of Namibia as foot-and-mouth disease restrictions continue to limit slaughtering and livestock sales, according to a report from The Namibian distributed by AllAfrica. The article says Namibia confirmed an FMD outbreak last month, and the resulting controls have reduced the supply of animals and meat entering the market.

Butchers in Swakopmund and Otjiwarongo described tighter supplies and higher input costs. One owner said meat trimmings used for mince and sausages were being sold at much higher prices, while another said shortages had forced her to switch to more expensive cuts. A third butcher told the paper that the problem was less about price than about not being able to buy stock at all, because normal sourcing through auctions and farmers has been disrupted.

Restaurants are also feeling the impact. A Windhoek restaurant manager said menu prices for some beef dishes have gone up because suppliers raised their prices, while another steakhouse said it is absorbing the added cost for now rather than passing it directly to customers. One butchery in Ongwediva reported no shortage yet and said it had not changed prices.

The report also notes that the outbreak has spread to farms in the ||Kharas region and that cattle in the Zambezi region tested positive as well. More broadly, the story shows how animal disease controls can quickly affect food supply chains, retail pricing and business operations.