Namibia’s pig slaughter fell to its lowest monthly level in more than four years in September 2026, declining by 34.06% year-on-year to 3,270 pigs, as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) movement restrictions disrupted livestock marketing. According to the Livestock and Livestock Products Board’s (LLPB) October 2026 Beef and Pork Market Watch report, slaughter numbers also dropped by 26.35% compared with August, reaching their lowest level since July 2022. The decline followed the confirmation of an FMD outbreak in the //Kharas Region in September 23, prompting restrictions on the movement of cloven-hoofed animals, including pigs, during the final eight days of the month.
The reduction in slaughter numbers resulted in a 29.9% year-on-year decline in estimated pork production to approximately 306 tonnes. However, the impact was partly cushioned by an increase in average carcass weight to 93.49kg, compared with 87.90kg in September 2025 and 91.66kg in August 2026.
Despite the September downturn, cumulative pig marketing increased by 3.48% to 40,544 pigs during the first nine months of 2026, up from 39,179 recorded during the same period in 2025. All pigs marketed were slaughtered locally, with no live exports recorded, compared with 211 pigs exported during the corresponding period last year. Excluding live exports, slaughter at B and C class abattoirs increased by 4.04% from the previous year's 38,968 pigs.
Meanwhile, the Board-approved pork ceiling price remained unchanged at N$47.61 per kilogramme in September, following an 8.65% reduction at the beginning of the third quarter. The calculated pork ceiling price, however, increased by 3.15% month-on-month to N$39.21 per kilogramme, marking its first monthly increase since March 2026, although it remained 17.91% below the September 2025 level.
October 27, 2026/Namibia/
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