Meatco, Namibia's largest meat processing and marketing entity, continues to reinforce its position as one of the leading players in the international meat export market.
Egypt will soon become the next export destination for the country's world-acclaimed beef products.
Engagements between Meatco's interim CEO Albertus Aochamub and Egyptian ambassador Ramia Shawky placed serious emphasis on the importance and urgency of exploring new opportunities for Namibia's beef exports to Egypt.
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Both Aochamub and Shawky were joined by senior staff members of their respective teams. During the lengthy discussions, they deliberated on possible collaboration in leather production and processing for global markets.
"These discussions underscore the growing bilateral trade relations between Namibia and Egypt, with mutual interests in expanding agricultural exports and fostering economic cooperation. Recent developments at Meatco highlight expanding trade relations and impressive export milestones," said Aochamub.
Shawky said, apart from growing collaboration in areas such as infrastructure development, the medical and pharmaceutical sector, education and capacity building, value addition in the agriculture and agro-processing sector are a key priority.
Shawky reminded that Egypt's commitment to deepening collaboration with Namibia, particularly with Meatco, is built on the decades-long partnership between the two countries, which dates back to the 1960s and was further solidified after Namibia's independence in 1990.
Record export
Meanwhile, Meatco has achieved a notable milestone in its export performance, particularly in beef exports to Norway.
The company has utilised 45.2% of its annual beef export quota for Norway, representing the strongest early-year performance on record.
Out of an annual quota of 1 153 477 kilogrammes (kg), more than 521 017.59kg have already been exported.
This is a remarkable increase from the 29.2% exported in 2024 and 23.4% exported in 2025. This substantial growth represents more than a 50% increase over the previous year, indicating a real breakthrough in Namibia's access to and supply to premium export markets early in the year.
Aochamub said the momentum behind this achievement is attributed to robust Norwegian demand, enhanced commercial execution and disciplined operational planning.
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They collectively deliver tangible value for Namibia's producers and bolster the national economy.
"This is not incremental progress. It is a structural shift in how we execute. We are no longer chasing opportunities. We are now capturing them. The record performance reinforces Namibia's reputation as a trusted supplier of high-quality, traceable beef to international markets, positioning the country for continued growth in global agricultural trade," he added.
As Meatco continues to enhance its export strategies and expand its diplomatic outreach, the prospects for increased bilateral trade with Egypt and other key markets remain promising, underscored by Aochamub.
For this year, Meatco has set an ambitious slaughter target of 63 000 cattle.
Through this audacious drive, Meatco plans to buy over 50 000 cattle from farmers south of the veterinary cordon fence, also famously known as the Redline, more than 13 000 from producers north of the line.
Last year, Meatco set a slaughter target of 70 000 cattle, but a combination of industry-wide factors, including the Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) outbreak, which extended from late 2024 into mid-2025, affected the achievement of this target.
During the 2023/24 period, Meatco successfully slaughtered 60 820 cattle to surpass the budgeted target of 50 000.
This achievement is a testament to its operational resilience and strategic planning, with plans in the pipeline to see Meatco slaughter over 105 000 cattle annually to meet market demand and expand its market share.
