Returned European meat shipment investigated

The government is investigating reports that a Namibian meat shipment was sent back from Europe following the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, with authorities currently trying to establish whether the consignment originated from the affected area.

Agriculture minister Inge Zaamwani told the National Assembly on Tuesday that the ministry was consulting European trading partners to establish the origin of the meat and whether it came from the FMD-affected zone.

The minister was responding to Popular Democratic Movement president McHenry Venaani, who asked whether it was true that a Namibian meat shipment had been returned from Europe and whether the consignment belonged to Savanna Beef or the Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco).

“We are in consultation with our relevant partners. I spoke with our ambassador today in Brussels and I am due to meet the EU ambassador,” Zaamwani said.