The Swakara Industry is gaining traction after being severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in a cash flow crisis.

This was revealed by the Swakara Board Chairperson Julene Meyer during the Swakara Industry Forum annual general meeting held in Keetmanshoop.

The annual general meeting discussed the industry-related developments and activities.

Members also elected new Swakara Board members and received financial statements for the past year.

Meyer said efforts are underway to rebuild the Swakara industry.

"For a period of 24 months no Swakara producer has an income. And that pressure on the cash flow was the reason for many of the producers actually leaving the industry. However, after Covid was completed, we moved auction houses from Copenhagen Fur to Sea Fur. So we negotiated that deal. We changed the marketing structure from a board only exporting to Saga Fur to also having a contract in place with one of the leading fashions being Fending. And this contract has actually ensured that there is a benchmark for the Swakara pricing, which has assisted producers to plan for cash flow."

Meyer revealed the black Swakara pelt at the recent international auction fetched an average price of N$2,800, while the white pelt sold for a record N$3,500.

"Now, we are using a lot of producers coming back into the industry, which obviously is fantastic. And I think that the fact that those prices are so good helps the producers to invest in it through the transparency and the consistency, and those prices help the industry establish trust again so that it can move forward so that it can continue to build on the crown it is now riding and tide it is riding."

An international pelt auctioneer, Kari Huotari, said the white Swakara pelt is in high demand.

"We are empty of African Karakul at the moment, and the sale ended. We had little more than 20 thousand skins remaining from the period of 7 or 8 years they had been in our house, and now we have been able to see all of them."

Meyer said the board provides rams on a loan basis to former Swakara farmers to get back into the industry.