Meatco boosts cattle value extraction despite drought

Drought slashed Meatco's cattle throughput well below target, but per-carcass value extraction actually improved during the 2024/25 financial year.

Slaughter numbers versus the plan

• Meatco processed 75,268 cattle against a budgeted goal of 105,000.
• Average carcass weight landed at 246 kg per animal.
• Dressing percentage came in at 55.16, reflecting solid efficiency gains.
• Better payment discipline pulled more producers toward Meatco despite the dry spell.

Namibia's drought backdrop

• Namibia's government declared a state of emergency back in May 2024.
• Environment and tourism minister Indileni Daniel called it one of the century's worst droughts.
• Persistent dry conditions hammered livestock availability across the board.

Forward-looking priorities for 2025/26

• Water security topped Meatco's list of planned investments.
• Additional boreholes are part of that infrastructure push.
• Production and processing efficiency gains remain a core focus area.