Livestock Trade and Marketing

The characteristics of the livestock sub-sector vary substantially between SADC Member States, in respect of economic relevance and livestock technology. Some SADC Member States have, for instance, meat-processing facilities that are certified to handle meat for export to the European Union market. Although the region has not been able to take full advantage of the beef protocols of the successive ACP-EC agreements recently, exports to the EU markets nevertheless generate a significant flow of resources to the relevant economies. Deregulation of marketing of livestock products which was mostly undertaken in the 90’s, has improved prospects for an increased intra-regional trade.

PRINT is instrumental in the definition of the Livestock component of the common Protocol for Crops, Livestock and Agricultural Research and Training. The LSU also contributes to the preparation of the technical Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Standards annex of the SADC Technical Protocol on trade. Livestock trade issues are addressed in consultation with the SADC Coordinating Committee on SPS and Technical Barriers to Trade (CC-SPS/TBT) which was established in the TIFI Directorate to facilitate trade in agricultural goods and related products.

Some regional studies will be launched and funded by PRINT to explore some new scenarios for improvement in the trade of livestock products within the REC (regional economic community), and compliant with international regulations (SPS).