Namibia in Numbers: Namibia’s cattle market shows signs of recovery
Namibia's cattle market is experiencing a recovery in 2026, with marketing volumes increasing by 28% compared to the same period in 2025. This rebound follows a difficult year where farmers retained livestock to rebuild herds after favorable rains.
Why it matters
The recovery of the cattle sector is a key indicator of agricultural health and economic stability in Namibia, impacting both local food supply and export revenue.
Namibia’s cattle market is showing signs of recovery in 2026, with more cattle being sold through local slaughtering and live export than during the same period last year.
Monthly marketing volumes have been higher than in 2025 in almost every month so far, with the strongest increases recorded in March and July, when volumes were roughly 90% and 50% higher than a year earlier.
Between January and July, around 156 000 head of cattle were marketed in 2026, compared with about 122 000 during the same period in 2025, an increase of roughly 28%.
July was the strongest month, with more than 30 000 head of cattle marketed.
The recovery comes after a difficult 2025, when cattle marketing fell sharply as farmers retained animals to rebuild herds following favourable rains.
Total cattle marketing declined from about 372 000 head in 2024 to 217 000 in 2025.
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