News / Africa
Botswana stops supply of cattle to Zimbabwe
01 May 2012 at 10:45hrs | Views
Botswana has stopped supplying the Cold Storage Company (CSC) with cattle for slaughter because the Zimbabwean company has been failing to pay its debts, reports said on Friday.
The two countries last year struck a deal that saw Botswana supplying CSC with 1000 cattle for slaughter everyday from the neighbouring country's Foot and Mouth disease infected zones.
But according to Botswana's Voice newspaper, the deal is now in limbo after Zimbabwe failed to meet its part of the bargain.
Simon Bojosi, the chairman of the North West Integrated Farmers Association in the country was quoted saying farmers were now looking for alternative markets.
He said the Botswana Meat Corporation (BMC) was now only slaughtering 60 cattle at its Maun abattoir after halting the Zimbabwe deal.
"BMC officers told me that they cannot slaughter more cattle because Zimbabwe still owes them some money and cannot keep exporting there," Bojosi said.
The deal had helped revive the ailing CSC, which had seen its fortunes nose diving after the land reform exercise.
The two countries last year struck a deal that saw Botswana supplying CSC with 1000 cattle for slaughter everyday from the neighbouring country's Foot and Mouth disease infected zones.
But according to Botswana's Voice newspaper, the deal is now in limbo after Zimbabwe failed to meet its part of the bargain.
He said the Botswana Meat Corporation (BMC) was now only slaughtering 60 cattle at its Maun abattoir after halting the Zimbabwe deal.
"BMC officers told me that they cannot slaughter more cattle because Zimbabwe still owes them some money and cannot keep exporting there," Bojosi said.
The deal had helped revive the ailing CSC, which had seen its fortunes nose diving after the land reform exercise.
Source - radiovop
