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Beef Shortage Sends Prices Soaring
Selebi- Phikwe, Nov 10, 2008 (Mmegi/The Reporter/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) --
The recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD), which has caused an acute shortage of beef and other meat products has sent prices soaring as demand outstrips supply.
The price of beef in most butcheries in Selebi-Phikwe rose sharply by more than 20 percent against a backdrop of reduced supply with some outlets running out of the commodity early this week.
Jean Van Riet of Sandy's butchery said he was forced to hike the price of beef following the decision to ban the transportation of cloven-hooved animals and meat products.
All the abattoirs have suspended slaughtering beasts and this has led to a shortage of beef, pork, mutton and goat meat.
Some butcheries have resorted to selling poultry to keep afloat as the effects of the foot and mouth disease begin to bite.
Van Riet said he had no option but to raise price of beef from P24.95 to P32.00 per kg. Supplies of beef were dwindling at his meat processing plant and Van Riet warned that they will be exhausted before the end of the week.
Sandy's butchery is Selebi-Phikwe's main supplier of meat to both individual and corporate customers.
"We have limited supplies left in our freezers. Fortunately, we had a lot of beef in stock in anticipation of the shortage during the rainy season," Van Riet said.
He said their order for mutton and pork from South Africa was turned away as a result of restrictions on the movement of meat products.
Van Riet said the shortage of beef has affected Sandy's capacity to supply corporate customers with special cuts.
Nnanikie Ditsabatho of Moraka butchery said she ran out of beef and pork early this week.
She said she has started selling chicken to keep the business afloat.
"We have no option but to order chicken to sustain the business. We ran out of beef early this week," Ditsabatho said.
She said a kilogram of beef at her outlet costs P29.00 and they will be forced to increase the price if the shortages persist.
Another butchery owner, Nzwaligwa Nzwaligwa said he raised his price from P28.00 to P34.00 as beef supplies continued to dwindle.
Nzwaligwa said the butchery had run out of beef.
He said veterinary officers were slow in determining the extent of the outbreak which affects farmers and butchery owners. Nzwaligwa called on the authorities to expedite the process.He noted that preliminary reports had shown that Selebi Phikwe and surrounding regions had not been affected by the outbreak. Nzwaligwa said farmers and butchery owners should be allowed to resume trade.
He said it was unfair that butchery outlets in Gaborone are allowed to buy from other sources including Senn Foods, while other areas are barred.
Botswana's beef industry was dealt a blow following the outbreak of FMD in the cattle-rich Gantsi last week.
Following the outbreak, the veterinary service department announced the suspension of movement of cattle and fresh cattle products countrywide.
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