After many months not being able to sell their cattle to the Botswana Meat Commission (MBC) because of constant outbreaks of foot and mouth, some Ngamiland farmers in areas 2a, 2b and 2d have been allowed to sell their cattle to the BMC.
This was said by BMC Public Relations Officer, Tiro Kganela.
“I can confirm that some farmers in Ngamiland will be able to sell their cattle to BMC,” said Kganela. “Cattle will be sold mostly from areas which had not experienced recent outbreaks of the disease in the district, such as Makalamabedi area, and the Hainaveld Farms, which are area 2d and 2b and which include places like Ikoga, Sepopa, and 2a areas like Shakawe up to Mohembo.”
Cattle from area 2c, which is around places like Tsau and Nokaneng, will still not be sold to the BMC because there has been recent outbreaks of foot and mouth in those areas.
He said that beef from those cattle will be sold locally in Ngamiland, whilst some of them will be canned and sold to other places.
Kganela said that this is expected to cheer farmers in the district who have stayed for months without being able to sell their cattle to the BMC.
“Farmers in Ngamiland have been complaining that they were being exploited by butchers who buy their cattle at very cheap prices; we hope they will take advantage of this and sell their cattle to BMC where they will get far much higher prices than what is offered by farmers,” he said.
It is also expected that farmers will use the opportunity to reduce their stock and avoid them dying from the current drought. Ngamiland is believed to be carrying more cattle than its capacity and there are fears that the area might turn into graveyards for many cattle if drought continues.
