The Namibian poultry sector continues to demonstrate a heavy reliance on international markets to satisfy its internal requirements, according to the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) Quarterly Report for the final period of 2025. During the year, poultry meat imports reached approximately 20,380 tons, a figure that highlights the significant role of foreign supply in meeting the nation’s nutritional needs. NAU researcher Leigh-Ann Nehoya noted that these volumes far outstrip imports of other livestock products, underscoring poultry’s position as the primary, affordable protein source for the Namibian population.
Brazil emerged as the undisputed leader in this trade landscape, supplying 9,161 tons of poultry to the Namibian market. While other nations including the Netherlands, Poland, Argentina, and South Africa contributed to the supply chain, their combined volumes remained substantially lower than the Brazilian intake. This dominance is attributed to Brazil’s high level of competitiveness within global markets and its well-entrenched position in regional trade flows. Nehoya observed that the specific composition of these imports points towards a market heavily geared towards processing and value-driven products rather than premium cuts.
The data reveals that Mechanically Deboned Meat (MDM) constitutes the lion’s share of imports, accounting for nearly 69% of the total volume at 14,061 tons. This specific product is a vital raw material for the local manufacturing of sausages, polonies, and various other processed items. Other significant imported categories included 921 tons of backs and carcasses, alongside 575 tons of chicken cuts and various offal products such as livers and gizzards. This reliance on MDM illustrates the critical link between international imports and the sustainability of Namibia’s domestic poultry processing industry.
On the domestic front, local producers achieved a total slaughter of 19.47 million chickens throughout 2025. Statistics from the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia indicate a steady upward trajectory in marketing volumes, which grew from 9.31 million birds in June to over 17 million by November. Despite this internal productivity, the industry remains tethered to foreign sources for biological stock. A total of 474,161 live chickens were imported during the year, with South Africa providing a staggering 92.1% of this total, primarily in the form of day-old chicks and layer chickens. Smaller quantities of day-old chicks were also sourced from the Netherlands and Zambia to supplement the local population.
“The dominance of MDM highlights the importance of imports in supporting Namibia’s poultry processing industry and supplying affordable poultry-based products to the domestic market,” stated Leigh-Ann Nehoya.
