THE Karas Regional Council’s plan to revive ostrich farming in the South appears to have fallen flat.
The sector collapsed in 2003 when most of the farmers were facing extreme hardship due to the high cost of fodder.
Agribank funding totalling N$21,5 million to 49 emerging commercial farmers and Domestic Ostrich Production of Mariental in June 2004 breathed new life into the industry. Government then acted as a guarantor for the AgriBank funding.
But the industry collapsed in 2006 after Agribank had withdrawn the funding, saying that the industry was neither profitable nor sustainable and would remain reliant on subsidies.
The Karas Regional Council, in partnership with Klein Karoo international company which is based in Oudtshoorn, South Africa, started in August 2011 with efforts to revive the industry.
The revival plans included setting up an ostrich abattoir for the slaughtering of 25 000 birds annually, which would have generated about N$75 million to N$150 million a year.
The council’s task was to organise the ostrich farmers and to help them raise funds to buy ostrich chicks from Klein Karoo.
However, a year has passed and it seems that the revival plan has failed.
Karas governor Bernadus Swartbooi, who initiated the revival plan, blamed the South African partner’s reluctance to go into a 50/50 partnership with the Namibians.
“They [Klein Karoo] chickened out when we demanded a 50/50 partnership. They behave as if we’re the only ones in need and wanted to overlook the mutual benefits,” Swartbooi charged.
For his part, Klein Karoo managing director Johan Stumpf cited farmers’ lack of interest.
“It seems no farmer has decided to go ahead. We’re the second line in the chain, and since we’re only processors we need to have farmers to invest in the industry,” said Stumpf.
Stumpf emphasised that his company is still eager to invest in ostrich farming in the South.
According to Stumpf, the last communication between him and the Karas Regional Council was last year December.
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Article source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201209040444.html