Botswana beef gains traction in UAE
BMC sent consignments worth P7 million Embassy in Kuwait working on opening more markets in region
Bo tswana beef is gaining traction in the United Arab Emirates ( UAE) and is beginning to attract interest from other Gulf Cooperation Council countries, thanks to the efforts of Steve Harvey and his Open Fire event in the region.
Augustine Makgonatsotlhe, Botswana’s Ambassador to Kuwait, highlights the unique qualities of Botswana beef, emphasising its organic nature and absence of hormones, setting it apart from beef sourced from other countries.
Between December 2023 and now, Botswana has exported P7 million worth of beef to the UAE, with plans for further shipments in the near future. In an interview with Botswana Guardian, Makgonatsotlhe corroborated the statements by Brian Dioka, Chief Operating Officer of the Botswana Meat Commission ( BMC) that the renowned American comedian Harvey serves as both the organiser and chief guest at the Food and Beverage Expo in the UAE, where various food industries showcase their products.
Makgonatsotlhe highlighted BMC’s earnest efforts in promoting Botswana beef in the UAE. He mentioned that in early March, BMC participated in the Food and Beverage Expo, an event where various food and beverage companies showcase their products.
Notably, Steve Harvey’s involvement in the Expo facilitated BMC’s participation, as they were invited or connected through him to showcase their beef during the week- long event.
Furthermore, Makgonatsotlhe elaborated on BMC’s journey to export beef to the UAE, which began after satisfying the Emirates’ health, sanitary, and Halaal certification requirements. The Emirates physically inspected BMC facilities, including the process of bringing animals to the abattoir, before granting certification.
Regarding the export process, Makgonatsotlhe said there was a period of slower uptake initially. However, during his visit to Dubai for CoP 28 in November 2023, news arrived about the first beef consignment reaching the UAE. BMC successfully distributed the first consignment, followed by subsequent shipments earlier this year. Expectations are that two or three more consignments of beef will be sent this year, indicating posit ive momentum in exports.
Reflecting on lessons from the Open Fire Food Expo, Makgonatsotlhe emphasised the importance of better planning for future events.
This includes involving chefs skilled in preparing Botswana beef in various traditional ways such as braai, seswaa, mokoto, along with accompanying dishes like mabele, samp, or mealie meal.
These additions would enrich the showcase of Botswana beef.
In terms of long- term strategy, Makgonatsotlhe envisioned the UAE as a launching pad for Botswana beef to penetrate the broader Gulf Cooperation Council ( GCC) market.
He said potential exists for Botswana beef to be distributed across GCC members, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman, effectively covering the entire region.
He explained that he, and his team, are working around the clock to ensure that the Botswana beef certification or accreditation that “we have in UAE can be extended to Kuwait and Saud- Arabia” adding that he was recently informed that once a country has certification of the Gulf countries in one of its products, then that should apply among the rest of the countries.
“So, we have to implement that. We have to go and ensure that indeed that happens,” he said, adding that it took BMC a long time to reach where it is now. But, if the Emirates are happy, then the rest of the region will be happy with the process.
Makgonatsotlhe said there are prospects when it comes to the beef industry in the Gulf region as they do not produce their own meat, but they get it from all over the world. The people from the Middle East or Gulf region mainly eat lamb from the religious point of view.
But currently the youth are demanding beef when they go into restaurants. “Without doubt our beef has the market, South Africa is already there, it has penetrated the market especially the UAE which means we are on their footsteps and I am sure that we can even bring much betterquality beef.”
He believes that the Lubu project can come handy because the Gulf region is providing a perfect market for goats and sheep. “I will be visiting Lubu with my colleagues to go and see for myself the potential that is there. The only thing that we may have to worry about especially about beef is the sustainability because once you get the market, the question is always, are you going to be able to feed the market?”
This, according to Makgonatsotlhe, means there is need for hard work to ensure continuous production. He said cattle farmers must be able to increase the head count and be deliberate and determined to ensure that BMC produces the required beef for this market.