Agra L/S 1
DATE:
26 January 2015
ATTENTION:
The News Editor
AGRA LIVESTOCK ENDS AND STARTS ON HIGH NOTE.
Agra livestock concluded the year 2014 with auction records, from their most southern to
their most northern auction centres, and also started this year on a good note.
In Karasburg, the highest average prices ever for goats were achieved at the goat auction on
3 December 2014. The average price for the record offering of 2 845 goats was N$1 083
with average prices of all the groups also being the highest ever. Ewes sold for an average
price of N$1 102, kapaters for N$1 327, lambs for N$1 019 and rams for N$1 556. The
highest prices achieved were as follows: Rams: N$10 000; Kapaters: N$1 920; ewes: N$1
610 and lambs: N$1 370.
At the last commercial auction for 2014 in Grootfontein on 3 December, 1 453 cattle were
sold and at the Grootfontein commercial auction on 14 January this year, 1 538 cattle was
sold.
Other auctions that took place this year were also very positive. In Gobabis on 9 January, 1
010 cattle was sold and on 16 January in Otavi, numbers were also much higher than usual
with 538 cattle sold.
Prices for cattle and sheep have remained steady while there was a decline in the prices of
goats.
The highest prices for cattle achieved at the first auctions this year were: N$23,91/kg for
heifers, 201 – 250kg at Grootfontein; N$22,96/kg for tollies, 131 – 200kg at Gobabis and
N$22,65/kg for oxen at Otavi.
Agra livestock refers to the statement of the Meat Board in their newsletter, which reads:
“Although we are still at the beginning of the rainy season and the expected precipitation for
the season is still an unknown and something of the future, it is of utmost importance to
already start planning for livestock marketing, especially to South Africa. It is a fact that the
emergency marketing of livestock to South Africa in 2013 was, among others, a
huge motivation for last year’s import restrictions by the South African Veterinary
Services. In order to avoid a similar situation producers are requested to make a survey of
their grazing situation on a regular basis and then to adapt the marketing of livestock
accordingly. This is requested so that a timely and evenly spread marketing schedule can be
drawn up for both the local abattoirs and the RSA export market.” In the light of this,
producers are invited to contact their nearest Agra livestock agents for advice and service.
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Agra L/S 2
Agra’s General Manager: Livestock, Titus Koen is positive about the year 2015. “Agra’s
livestock division is showing good growth this financial year,” he said and added: “It is
however difficult to predict how the industry will perform this year because of the uncertainty
regarding the rainfall.” He has confidence that Agra Livestock will be able to assist clients in
all the regions with agents in place and active at all Agra’s livestock centres. Two of Agra’s
livestock agents, FJ van Zyl for Mariental, Maltahöhe, Gibeon and Asab and Reynard
Steynberg for Windhoek, recently joined the team and were both previously employed at Agra
so they are experienced in the business. Two other additions to the team include Jaco du
Preez who serves as livestock agent for the Okahandja region and Jaco de Beer, who has
taken the stud breeders under his wings.
Issued By:
Albé Snyman
Officer: Communications
Agra Limited
Tel:
(061) 290 9273
Fax:
(061) 290 9250
Cell:
081 1240027
Email: [email protected]
Contact person:
Abelene Boer
Senior Manager: Marketing
Agra Limited
Tel:
(061) 290 9218
Fax:
(061) 290 9250
Cell: 081 1425666
Email: [email protected]
www.agra.com.na