Question
What are the rules and regulations when producers want to export livestock to neighbouring countries such as Angola, Botswana and South Africa?
Answer
The import of animals and animal products contains certain risks to the country importing the animals or animal products, pertaining to the country’s people, animals and environmental health. Countries thus prefer to import animals and animal products from countries that have the same or better animal health status.
Because there is a kind of risk, exports are agreed upon on bilateral level between exporters and importers and there is no specific set of standard rules and regulations. The procedure to follow will be that the producer should get a buyer in the importing country who can then provide him/her with an import permit. This import permit stipulates all the requirements. These requirements then need to be discussed with the Directorate of Veterinary Services to determine whether the export can be done. Al the requirements on the export permit should be adhered to in order to be able to export. The export of livestock is controlled by the Directorate of Veterinary Services.
The producer thus needs a veterinary import permit from the country to where the export will be done, a Namibian veterinary export permit, a Meat Board export permit and a livestock improvement permit in cases where livestock is exported for breeding purposes.
For animals that are exported for breeding purposes, permission should also be obtained from the various breeders associations.