Namibia turned into the first African nation to export red meat to the U.S. after it sent 25 tonnes of beef to Philadelphia, following 20 years of haggling over safety laws and logistics.
The arid southern African nation, known for free-range, hormone-free beef, is set to export 860 tonnes of various beef cuts in 2020 to the U.S., rising to 5,000 tonnes by 2025.
The U.S. tops the world list for red meat consumption per person. Humans eat, on average, 120 kgs of meat per person, according to the U.S. Division of Agriculture (USDA), making meat exports to the nation a prime motto.
Namibia’s minister of international relations, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, was speaking in the capital Windhoek, where state-run meat agency Meatco is headquartered, as the first cargo of meat set off, after talks that spanned 18 years.
The motto would be the massive U.S. fast-food business and franchises like McDonald’s, the minister stated.
The cargo is the first commercial consignment after samples had been sent in the past 24 months to U.S. laboratories for evaluations.
Under the contract, exports will embody boneless, raw beef cuts in frozen or chilled form.
Agriculture adds nearly 5% to Namibia’s economy; however, farming, along with cattle elevating, contributes to nearly two-thirds of the population’s revenue.
In 2019, Namibia exported approximately 12,400 metric tonnes of meat to Norway, Britain, the EU, and Chinese markets.
Namibia’s exports may even benefit from a duty-free regime under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
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