SUPPLY OF LIVE CATTLE AND OF BEEF IN NAMIBIA

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Abstract
In terms of employment generation, natural resource use, exports, contribution to the gross domestic product and relative importance in the diet, the beef industry is Namibia's most important agricultural sector. Beef production fluctuates due to its dependence on Namibia's environment which is characterized by unpredictable weather, periodical droughts, political and structural changes, distorted market signals and lack of clear incentives for change. Namibia was divided into sixteen homogeneous ecological and veterinarian areas. Supply response of beef is analysed in each area by using multiple regression techniques on biological and economic time series data. Results show that the producers' price of beef does not generally play a major role in the supply response of beef. Environmental factors and cattle numbers play a major role in determining the annual number of cattle marketed. Deficiencies in the marketing systems for beef contribute to environmental problems and resource degradation. Beef production should be based on knowledge of market outlets and on high standards of farm management. Attention should be given to the removal of impediments to the creation of new markets that would allocate resources effectively and produce net benefits to the society.