Suspended with the export of cattle on the hoof, the export of beef is in the process of resuming. The idea is still poorly received in view of the first day of public consultations.
Tendency to denial. The government is organizing for five days in Tolagnaro, in the Anôsy region and in Ambovombe, Androy region, public consultations on the resumption of beef exports. Yesterday, the first day of public consultations in Tolagnaro, the atmosphere was somewhat stormy. The chief of staff of the presidency of the Republic, Romy Voos Andrianarisoa, the governor of the Anosy region, Jocelyn Raharimbola or even senator Victor Tsiebo were seen on the scene, among others. The technical explanations on the subject of the public consultations were followed by question-and-answer sessions. In general, concerns are centered on the preservation of the national herd and the risk of renewed rural insecurity. “Where are we going to find enough livestock to meet an international need, when we ourselves believe that we don’t have enough locally? “. Sources claim that five hundred heads of zebus per day are intended for local consumption, including four hundred for Antananarivo. “Breeders are already having a hard time becoming more professional with earrings and microchips for zebus. How will they organize themselves if other constraints are imposed on them? “. “It is quite simply an opening towards the resurgence of insecurity. Many will try to steal cattle from their neighbors in order to sell them to export-scale structures”. “The zebus are commercial banks for rural communities. To sell them overseas would be to abandon local habits and customs followed for generations”.
Markets
The Société Bonne Viande de Madagascar (Bovima), a private structure that has obtained support from the World Bank, wants to diversify contemplative breeding and turn it towards a more profitable activity. The company based in Manambaro, about thirty kilometers from Tolagnaro, plans to proceed by artificial insemination to multiply the cattle herd and to create a fattening park for zebus. So far, Bovima has exported meat from small ruminants whose activity has not been subject to a ban. The company considered exporting live cattle initially. The State suspended this activity on January 31, 2019, judging the glaring lack of traceability in the export stages. From the farm of the breeders, their origin, the health monitoring of the livestock, the administrative papers (Individual sheet of bovids, vaccine, etc.). Lobbying was carried out and the project almost returned in September 2022 when a draft decree lifting the suspension was expected. Other information workshops have been organized in the Anôsy and Androy regions since 2020. They focused on the reform of the governance of the bovine sector such as the appropriation of earrings and electronic chips for cattle. These devices constitute, among other things, sine qua non conditions of traceability before export. Also, with these workshops, the possibility of a resumption of export has always been implicit. Madagascar targets the Comesa market and other African countries outside Comesa. China, the United Arab Emirates and neighboring islands are potential markets.