Namibia wants to increase beef exports to Norway

WINDHOEK, 21 JUN  – Namibia should consider exporting processed meat products to Norway in order to add value to the country’s beef products and create more employment.
Outgoing Norwegian Ambassador to Namibia, Trine Skymoen said this on Tuesday when she bade farewell to President Hage Geingob at State House.
Namibia has a beef quota of 1 600 tonnes to Norway, which is allocated to suitable abattoirs.
The European Union, United Kingdom and Norwegian markets account for 43,2 per cent of Meatco’s sales by volume, while South Africa and Namibia make up 55,72 per cent.
On his part, Geingob noted that Government was under the impression that Norway was only interested in beef.
However, now that the country is showing an interest in importing processed meat, this will go well with Namibia as it will add value to the country’s beef exports, he said.
“You are right that we have to think of value addition at all levels to create jobs, transfer of technology which we already have here basically,” he added.
Geingob said the country wants to increase the beef quota to Norway.
In response, Skymoen announced that she would report back to the relevant authority in her country on Namibia’s interest to increase the beef quota.
The outgoing ambassador, who served Namibia for the past four years, further commended the Namibian president for accepting an invitation from the Norwegian government to attend a High-level Panel on Building a Sustainable Ocean Economy in September.
Early this year, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg launched the plans for the event.
Solberg will chair the Panel, which will be made up of Heads of State and Government from a broad range of coastal states, including developing countries.
Among others, the intention behind this initiative is to increase international awareness of the fact that sustainable use of the oceans and the maintenance of good environmental status can lead to significant value-creation.
(NAMPA)