News

The Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) is happy to announce the successful accreditation to export Botswana beef to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with effect from 19^th March 2023.The accreditation by the Ministry of Climate Change & Environment in the UAE of Botswana Beef- comes after a series of rigorous inspections and quality compliance evaluations of the BMC by the National Independent Halal Trust (NIHT) between December 2022 and February 2023.

Increasing the diversity of lucrative markets for Botswana beef is a cornerstone of the BMC Meriting strategy 2022/25 – of which BMC’s participation at the DUBAI EXPO in February 2022 was a critical component and these are some of the results.The BMC intends accessing all lucrative markets within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, and access to the UAE is a critical milestone in the achievement of that goal

In celebrating this monumental first-time achievement, which will allow for Botswana farmers – through the BMC – to have access to one of the best paying markets of beef in the Middle East, it must also be seen as a sustainable incentive for cattle beef production in Botswana. It reconfirms BMC’s accumulated intellectual resources, capacity and prowess in issues relating to food safety compliance and global product uniqueness. These priced knowledge assets therefore reiterate possibilities of a knowledge-based economy, as championed by the Government’s RESET AGENDA.

The Board and Management asks the nation to join in, celebrating the men and women of BMC, who continually strive to promote the beef industry and ensuring that BMC continues to be a critical component of the Botswana economy, and with your support in the value chain, we will achieve prosperity for BMC and the nation.

26th October 2022

MEDIA NOTICE

BOTSWANA DELEGATION VISITS NORWAY, GERMANY AND THE UNITED KINGDOM (UK) TO PROMOTE BOTSWANA BEEF

Beef productions stakeholders in Botswana, and the general public are informed that a delegation led by Assistant Minister of Agriculture Honorable Molebatsi Molebatsi, MP is expected to travel to Norway, Germany and the United Kingdom (UK) from 28th October until 10th November 2022. The delegation includes senior officials from the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) as well as the Botswana National Beef Producers Union (BNBPU).

It is common cause for the BMC to invite/travel with Botswana cattle producers -assigned from their openly recognizable amalgamation(s) – whenever it embarks on product and market development initiatives. The last of such was in 2017 with Norway and Australia, but also recently in March 2022 for South Africa.

The intended purpose of this trip is to revitalize and optimize beef-exports relations with the European trade region – given their historic importance and relevance, as a lucrative market for Botswana beef and its entire livestock industry. The European region accounts for more than 30% of Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) exports per annum, yet it is attributable to a yearly average of more than 60% of its revenue/sales. The trip shall therefore accord the delegation an opportunity to also re-affirm to the European importers, Botswana’s unparalleled national food compliance & safety framework – especially after the recent episodes of Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in the north easterly parts of the country.

In Germany, through the BMC – the delegation will launch branded retail ready beef packs showing differentiated attributes of Botswana beef, which it intends to strategically penetrate the retail segment of that market.

While in Norway, the delegation shall also meet varied policy makers and senior government officials to assure Botswana’s resoluteness on the supply of quality premium & highly differentiated fresh beef. Through the SACU-European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA), Botswana is allowed access to export about 1,600 tons annually to Norway.

The delegation will complete their trip to Europe, with the United Kingdom (UK) – which has always been a strategic facilitation link to Botswana’s beef trade in Europe. In the UK the delegation will meet meat merchants/importers as well as cattle farming entities.

The delegation is expected back in Botswana on the 11th of November 2022

Please address all information enquiries to the Chief Executive Officer – Botswana Meat Commission, and email to [email protected] or call +267 533 1227 (Office hours only).

The Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) resumed its production at its Lobatse abattoir from Sunday 23rd October 2022.To better facilitate/coordinate supplies as well as production – all farmers are required to make bookings with BMC’s Livestock Procurement division at 534 0510 or by emailing to [email protected].

Cattle farmers/suppliers are reminded of the compliance provisions as set out by the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) recent adjustment of livestock movement protocols – from their media release of 17th October 2022 captioned “RESUMPTION OF EXPORTS TO THE EUROPEAN UNION”

Cattle farmers/suppliers are again reminded of the BMC prices of P42-P31/kg of CDM for all EU eligible cattle, but P31\kg of CDM for all Other Markets (OM) cattle (which are all ungraded). The commitment to pay cattle suppliers within 14 days after slaughter remains effective and in place, including all other favorable benefits/trade-terms extended to all cattle suppliers i.e. reduced measles penalty  on all EU eligible cattle; free transportation from collection points for only OM eligi-ble cattle; as well as buying of light weighted cattle.

BMC encourages all cattle suppliers to take opportunity of this announcement and supply adequately to benefit.

For more information please contact 5340510/ 5331255.

Subsequent to a mass voluntary recall of certain batches of the 300 grams ECCO corned beef on 14th December 2021 due  to suspected quality breaches – the BMC, with effect from 02nd September 2022, relaunched the 300 grams ECCO corned beef and corned meats product lines with improved features.This relaunch is attributable to the successful recalling of then referred batches (CODES D243A and D300A), successful completion of corrective action and subsequent trial productions to ascertain product’ safety and compliance.The BMC has in the same utilized this period (of recall) to add improved features of the ECCO corned beef and corned meat products as per the following:

Re-labelling with different pantone colors to distinguish the premium corned beef (with 100%  beef content) from corned meat products (with meat content of 65%);

Royal blue – being premium 100% beef content Corned Beef

Red – being 65% meat content Corned Meat, Chilli/Hot flavor

Yellow – being 65% meat content Corned Meat, plain flavor

Other differentiating elements/factors such as reduced salt in all products, non flavor enhancers (MSG free), dietary benefits associated with Soy free diet as well as additional benefits of sourcing raw material from HORMONE FREE cattle of Botswana.The BMC will embark on a full campaign to ensure wider distribution and availability of the product within Botswana, but also ensure better customer satisfaction and knowledge of the products.

For more information please call BMC’ Sales & Marketing at 533 1212/ 533 1277/5331276

BMC NOW PAYS FOR TRANSPORT COSTS

BMC MAUN- Free transport from ONLY QUARANTINES within the RED ZONE, as well as BUYING POINTS from the GREEN ZONE.

BMC LOBATSE- Free transport from ALL BMC SELECTED BUYING  POINTS FOR ONLY OTHER MARKETS/ NON EU CATTLE

Conditions

1.  All cattle must bear both producer and zonal brands

2.  All cattle must have a valid livestock movement permit, farmer declaration and police clearance.

3. In the event transportation is shared amongst producers, animals should be be distinctively marked with paint for easy sorting at offloading.

4. The cattle concerned remain the property of the lawful owner until slaughtered by the commission.

5. The minimum to be loaded at  any given/specified point is 20 cattle.

For logistical arrangements please contact the District Officers below;

CENTRAL

Obakeng Mmileng +26771636195

GHANZI

Kenneth Molapisi     +267 77732013

SOUTHERN

Selebogo Seganabeng +267 77178676

LETLHAKANE

Joel Maruapula +267 76666247

NATA/GWETA

Steve Hendrick +267 71882172

APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AT THE BOTSWANA MEAT COMMISSION (BMC) – MR DAVID TSHEBOENG

The Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr David Tsheboeng as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the Botswana Meat Commission (BMC), effective 01st June 2022. Mr Tsheboeng’s appointment as CEO – sets in motion the wheels of turning around the BMC in alignment to recently set rationalization and reset imperatives at national level, while being receptive to crucial business goals intended to transform and commercialize operations.

The Board is confident that Mr Tsheboeng’s credentials in both public and private sector does not only make him an ideal fit – but has found in him a truly consummate individual, who will give the necessary impetus to BMC’s turnaround agenda.Mr. Tsheboeng’s past immediate position is MD of Equity Property Group and has previously held senior management/executive positions and Board directorship in various organizations. He worked as Chief Corporate Services Officer at Botswana Power Corporation; Head of Property Investment and Asset Management at BIFM; Man­aging Director of BR Properties, and Executive Director of Real Estate at Botswana Innovation Hub and a stint as Development Consultant at SEZA. He contributed immensely to strategy development and management as part of his Board and execu­tive assignments in these organizations.

Some of his notable and iconic achievements includes the establishment of the Rail Park Mall (Gaborone) where he forged partnership developments; packaged investment deals; provided transaction advisory services, and property acquisitions for portfolio income and capital growth on large transactions. This being part of the transformational and commercialization strategy of Botswana Railways -which he intends emulating also within the BMC operations.Mr Tsheboeng holds a BSc (Hons) in Real Estate from Oxford Brookes University (England, UK), Master of Business Administration (MBA) from University of Botswana, Master of Science (MSc) in Project Management (Construction) from the University of Pretoria and varied executive management trainings in corporate governance, business and systems management, real estate development, and project management. He is also a member of various local and international profes­sional bodies.

The Board assures Mr Tsheboeng, his Management team and BMC Staff, of the support needed to achieve clearly set out strategic objectives and in the same breath, appeal to wider beef-cattle supplier stake­holders to equally support and re-commit to the BMC, as it transitions through the process for desired improvements.The appointment of Mr Tsheboeng signals the successful completion of the recruitment process for the position of CEO at the BMC, and the Board conveys deepest regards to all candidates that did show interest in the position.

All further enquiries on the aforesaid can be directed to the BMC Board Secretary at [email protected] or 5331227

The Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) is happy to announce to farmers, stakeholders and the general public – that current EU Incentive Scheme prices of P33.00 to P42.00 per kilogram on carcass dressed mass (CDM) will be maintained as the BMC Pricing with immediate effect.

As part of improved supplier-attraction strategy, the BMC had initially set the end-date of the scheme to be 31st May 2022, but widespread support and commendation from stakeholders, and accomplishments the scheme provided for the BMC, such as improved throughput and fulfillment of customer orders the Commission resolved to maintain the Scheme as the new BMC Pricing Structure

The other benefits of the scheme, suite of improved servicing to the farmers supplying all BMC operations remains, these were:-

• payments within 14 days after slaughter;
• Reduced penalties of measled beef/carcasses from Pll/kg to Pl/kg;
• Reduced minimum CDM thresholds to cater for CDM’s below 760 kilograms; knowledge empowerment campaigns in partnerships with farmers’ associations- and many other relationship management initiatives.

Cattle producers and all other supplier stakeholders are encouraged to avoid the huge losses that often come with the winter season – by taking opportunity of the BMC prices and secure supply-quotas early.

The BMC shall go on a national wider stakeholder appreciation drive of this latest decision, and other benefits associated with selling cattle to the BMC.

For more enquiries, please contact our reliable and friendly Livestock Advisors at +267 5331510, 5331251 or email: [email protected]