Africa-Press – Angola. Butchers in the city of Ondjiva, capital of the province of Cunene, have recently experienced a shortage of meat, with particular emphasis on beef, a situation that could continue during the festive season.
In a statement today, Thursday, the owners stated that commercial establishments do not have cattle for slaughter, due to the difficulties in acquiring animals from traditional breeders.
The manager of the Pawa butcher shop, José Tulengeipo, said that their source of acquisition is traditional breeders, which in addition to increasing the purchase price, many of them are no longer trading, due to the rains that are being felt.
He reported that during the dry season, breeders ship their animals at low prices so as not to die, but when pasture and water are available, they are susceptible to selling their cattle.
He made it known that an ox head, which used to cost 180 to 200 thousand kwanzas, is currently being sold at 450 thousand, depending on the size and weight of the animal.
The owner of the ATJ butcher shop, André Tchielenge, explained that they face many difficulties when purchasing animals, because many are selling in neighboring Namibia and others in Luanda.
He highlighted that most meat traders leave Luanda, Huambo, Benguela and Bié for the province of Cunene, adding that they are people with great purchasing power and can easily acquire quantities of heads of cattle.
For this reason, he stated that the price of the animal, which was sold below 200 thousand, soared to 380 to 450 thousand kwanzas, depending on the size of the animal, which does not compensate for the price charged locally.
He said that a kilogram of meat costs three thousand kwanzas, first and second grade.
The manager defends the creation, by commercial banks, of a specific credit, with subsidized rates to support the beef sales business.
The manager of the LBM butcher, Alberto Chitenha, made it known that he previously bought the animal at an affordable price and there was a greater supply on the market, but currently prices are high and the sale is not worth it.
The traders of goats and live pigs, in the German market, Miguel Shinanga and Emanuel Jorge, stated that there was availability of animals, but that prices rose during the festive season.
The price of goats is between 32 and 60 thousand kwanzas, depending on the size, compared to 25 thousand kwanzas in October, while pig prices vary between 15 thousand kwanzas for a piglet, medium 27 and the largest 75 thousand kwanzas.
Consumers Francisco Mwenetumba and Germana Maria lamented the unavailability and value of the meat, which is why they highlighted the need for regulatory bodies to work to guarantee a safer source of animal acquisition and reduce the current price
“Families are finding it very difficult to obtain beef, because butchers are only slaughtering one or two heads a day, which does not satisfy demand”, they said.
However, the deputy coordinator of ANIESA in Cunene, Belarmino Tumbuleni, said that the concern is limited to weight scales, as there are scales that are tampered with, which do not correspond to the respective kilogram.
” Butchers are covered by inspection activities. We are working to inspect the butchers and verify. If prices are tampered with, there will be no respite for defaulters who harm consumers, taking advantage of themselves, under penalty of incurring fines,” he asserted.
Traditional breeders are the main detectors of most of the livestock in Cunene, with 75 percent, and 25% owned by farmers.
Data from the Veterinary Services (SV) indicates that Cunene has effective control of one million and 100 thousand heads of cattle, two million 150 goats, 75 thousand sheep, 50 thousand pigs, two thousand 700 horses , six thousand donkeys and two million and 500 birds.
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