Goat meat market in Namibia

Earlier Report Observations

Between 2018 and 2021, Namibia's goat meat market volume declined from 3 560 t to 2 513 t. This occurred against a backdrop of structural supply-side constraints: only 2.8% of goats were sold through formal channels, and a lack of marketing infrastructure, including auction kraals and abattoirs in the north, limited market integration. Persistent challenges such as droughts and grazing shortages further constrained offtake and kept the sector informal. Despite demand reportedly growing at 3.6% per annum since 2017 and reaching about 10 000 t in 2021, supply bottlenecks prevented this demand from translating into higher market volume.

In 2022, market volume jumped to 4 021 t, possibly reflecting some recovery in supply. The following year, volume eased to 3 614 t, but 2023 saw significant regulatory and operational changes: Parliament approved the amended Meat Industry Act, creating a consolidated framework for meat, poultry, dairy and livestock products and renaming the Meat Board to the Livestock and Livestock Products Board. Simultaneously, Farmers Meat (part of the Hartlief Group) reopened the Mariental abattoir after a two-year drought-induced shutdown, restoring the country's only approved goat meat export facility and opening new export opportunities to China, the EU and SADC markets.

In 2024, the sector faced wildfires that destroyed around 30 000 ha of grazing land, reducing feed availability, and a 6.2% drop in marketed goats. Strict import-export permitting requirements, including veterinary licenses and an 8% export levy on animal value, continued to apply.

Production goat meat in Namibia

In kind, 2017-2020, t

Top producers of goat meat, 2017-2020

World map of production of goat meat, 2017-2020

Goat meat production in Namibia has declined for the third year in a row. In 2020, Namibia produced 3 156 tonnes of goat meat, marking a significant drop of 10.6% compared to 2019. Over the period from 2017 to 2020, production fell by 18.7%, with a compound annual growth rate of -6.7%.

Annual dynamics of production in Namibia in kind, 2017-2020, t

Exports goat meat from Namibia

Exports in kind, kg

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Namibia in kind, 2017-2020, kg

From 2017 to 2020, Angola was consistently the primary and nearly exclusive destination for Namibia's goat meat exports in volume terms, holding a 100.0% share.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Namibia in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, $ US

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Namibia in value, 2017-2020, $ US

Between 2017 and 2020, Angola clearly dominated as the top buyer of goat meat from Namibia, accounting for 100.0% of total exports in value.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Namibia in value, 2017-2020

Imports goat meat to Namibia

Imports in kind, kg

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Namibia in kind, 2017-2020, kg

From 2017 to 2020, Spain led the partner structure for goat meat imports into Namibia in volume terms, consistently making up 94.6% of total imports.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Namibia in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, $ US

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Namibia in value, 2017-2020, $ US

Throughout 2017 to 2020, Spain was the key partner for Namibia's goat meat imports in value terms, representing 99.3% of total flows.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Namibia in value, 2017-2020