The outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in Namibia is raising concerns about the future of the country's lucrative livestock and beef export industry, following the suspension of its internationally recognised FMD-free status.
Despite these challenges, Namibia recorded more than N$323 million in exports of bovine products in September 2026, with the Netherlands, South Africa and the United Kingdom among its leading markets.
Namibia's bovine industry is facing an uncertain trading environment as authorities intensify efforts to contain the Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreak.
According to the Namibia Statistics Agency's September 2026 International Merchandise Trade Statistics Bulletin, the country exported bovine products worth more than N$323 million during the month under review.
Exports significantly exceeded imports, with the Netherlands, South Africa and the United Kingdom emerging as the leading destinations. Imports mainly originated from South Africa and Botswana.
However, the outbreak of FMD, first confirmed on 23 September at a commercial farm in the Karasburg State Veterinary District in the ||Kharas Region, has changed the outlook for the sector.
Namibia's FMD-free status was subsequently suspended, while restrictions were introduced on livestock movement, slaughtering and trade in susceptible animal products.
The impact is already being felt in international markets. The United Kingdom has suspended imports of fresh bovine, sheep and goat meat from Namibia, while the European Union has also introduced temporary import restrictions following the outbreak.
Certain processed meat products that undergo approved risk-mitigating treatment remain eligible for trade.
The latest available outbreak figures, as of 9 November, indicate that 18 farms in the Karasburg Veterinary District have tested positive, with 131 positive animal cases recorded. In the Zambezi Region, the outbreak has also been confirmed at Kalala Island, where 12 samples tested positive.
Authorities have intensified surveillance, vaccination and containment measures, including veterinary checkpoints and movement controls, in an effort to prevent further spread.
The challenge now extends beyond containing the ddisease;restoring international market confidence and regaining access to lucrative export destinations will be critical to protecting farmers, businesses, jobs and the country's foreign earnings.
The September trade figures demonstrate the economic importance of the bovine industry, but the ongoing outbreak presents a significant test of the sector's resilience and its ability to recover.