Lubango: Cattle breeders in Angola’s central and southern provinces, including Huíla, Namibe, and Cunene, have played a pivotal role in reducing the country’s beef import tax by 43 percent since 2023, as stated by Carlos Damião, the president of the Cooperative of Cattle Breeders of Southern Angola (CCGSA). Over 85 percent of this contribution comes from traditional breeders, with the remainder from ranchers.
According to Angola Press News Agency, Carlos Damião highlighted the significance of contributions from the provinces of Huíla, Namibe, and Cunene, which account for about 70 to 80 percent of the reduction in imported meat. He acknowledged that although their contribution is notable, regions like Benguela, Cuanza-Sul, Cuaanza-Norte, and Malanje also produce a substantial amount of pigs and poultry.
Damião explained that daily, 20 to 40 tons of live cattle are transported by truck to Luanda for slaughter. This situation underscores the need for increased investment in local slaughterhouses to prevent th
e transportation of live animals and focus on selling processed meat. He expressed optimism that within five years, Angola could achieve self-sufficiency in animal protein, particularly goat and beef, potentially fulfilling 70 to 80 percent of market demand.
He also commended Angola for no longer needing to import eggs and anticipated similar success in poultry meat production with ongoing investments from the Ministry of Agriculture. Damião emphasized the importance of addressing electricity issues on farms, as reliance on generators causes production costs to rise, further compounded by poor road conditions.
The cattle farmer noted the high costs associated with beef production, with farms consuming between 1,000 and 2,000 liters of diesel weekly, which raises the price of beef. CCGSA members collectively own at least 15,000 head of cattle and 65,000 goats and pigs. While sheep farming is still developing, there is a focus on improving lamb meat quality and breeding for self-sufficiency.