Keetmanshoop raises concern over meat shortages in tourism sector & hostels

By: Ritta Lotto

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Keetmanshoop branch has raised concerns over meat shortages affecting butcheries supplying the tourism sector and school hostels in the area, with some reportedly having only a week’s stock remaining.

The concerns were raised with the agriculture ministry’s chief veterinary officer, Dr. Kenneth Shoombe, on Friday in Windhoek, during the NCCI’s N$1.5 million donation to the Foot-and-Mouth Disease National Task Force.

Shoombe said authorities are tracing the origins of animals slaughtered at smaller abattoirs before easing meat movement restrictions.

“We therefore need to trace animals which were slaughtered at all those small abattoirs, which will assist us to ensure that animals which were slaughtered have not originated from the epicentre during the two incubation periods of the disease.”

Speaking to NewsOnOne on Monday, the Hospitality Association of Namibia’s CEO, Gitta Paetzold said remote lodges and guest farms are struggling to procure meat during the tourism high season.

“Unfortunately, the foot-and-mouth disease situation in Namibia also affects tourism, and as much as the remote lodges and guest farms have very big challenges to procure meat that they are expected to serve to guests, we are still in tourism high season.”

She added that the association is waiting for clear guidelines on how they can safely source meat for lodges.

Shoombe said the ministry is implementing a control strategy involving vaccinating animals in the epicenter, putting up a containment fence and conducting continuous surveillance to ensure the disease does not spread beyond the affected area.

“So we are using two, three strategies simultaneously, vaccinations of animals in the epicentre, putting up the fence to stop the illegal movement, and then as well, continuous surveillance to ensure that the disease does not spill out of the area.”

NewsOnOne reached out to the ministry of education deputy executive director, Edda Bohn, who said she would consult the directorate.

No response had been received, however, by the time this story was scheduled to air.

The post Keetmanshoop raises concern over meat shortages in tourism sector & hostels appeared first on Future Media News.