Local beef set for EU market dominance 

The Botswana beef is poised for dominance in the lucrative European Union (EU) market bolstered by the availability of sophisticated equipment used for testing chemical residuals in meat donated to the National Agricultural Research and Development Institute (NARDI) courtesy of the SADC-EU support. The equipment has been handed to Botswana through the EU-SADC Economic Partnership Agreement Support Programme (Residues Project) which commenced three years back at the tune of P88 million value. 

Speaking during the handover ceremony in Gaborone on Thursday at the NARDI-Botswana National Veterinary Laboratory (BNVL), Head of Cooperation – European Union Delegation to Botswana and SADC Clement Boutillier said the equipment will position Botswana as beef exporting hub to the EU market. 

He said EU in particular offers huge market potential for Botswana beef and there is indeed room for increasing the volumes of export, adding that they have noted with excitement the efforts made by the Botswana government to improve the beef value chain through importation of quality breeding stocks. 

“We believe that with enhanced capacity for testing and quality assurance, Botswana will be better positioned to expand its exports, create the jobs, and drive economic growth. 

These ideals define our cooperation that has stood firm for more than 40 years,” said Boutillier confident on Botswana growth. 

He also said the support EPA Implementation Support Programme worth P88 million is to promote export-led economic diversification and growth in Botswana with improved employment in targeted value chains. Boutillier noted that positioned to expand its exports, create the jobs, and drive economic growth. 

These ideals define our cooperation that has stood firm for more than 40 years,” said Boutillier confident on Botswana growth. 

He also said the support EPA Implementation Support Programme worth P88 million is to promote export-led economic diversification and growth in Botswana with improved employment in targeted value chains. Boutillier noted that national capacity in the testing, analysis and inspection of food of animal origin to EU and other international food safety standards to meet EU regulatory import requirements for food of animal origin and thus facilitate exports,” he added. Boutilier indicated that machines that were supplied by EU are of a combined value of P7.2 million. 

MoA 

Meanwhile, the Minister of Agriculture (MoA) Fidelis Molao said the EU-SADC EPA initiative is envisaged to have a positive impact on the economy of Botswana by bolstering beef trade through the enhanced market access. 

Molao said the beef sector has traditionally played an important role in the lives and economy of Botswana, adding that Botswana has gone to great lengths to control diseases of cattle and ensure the safety and quality of the meat products for trade. 

“NARDI is tasked with the testing of residues samples which is conducted at BNVL. Due to lack of capacity at BNVL, residues testing has been subcontracted in the United Kingdom since 2008,” said Molao. 

Molao also said the lack of adequate specialized equipment, delayed maintenance of equipment and the attainment of necessary skills were the main challenges towards developing the testing capacity. 

For his part, NARDI CEO Professor Julius Atlhopheng stressed that the equipment will give NARDI the capacity to conduct more tests on daily basis and that would boost the capacity to export beef to EU. 

Atlhopheng emphasized the importance of Botswana’s beef meeting the export standards of the EU market, adding that NARDI is much focused on value chain development and therefore EU support will enable them to unlock fully the beef value chain potential and enhancing quality monitoring of food etc.