Namibia Imports N$53.4 Million in Poultry

Namibia imported N$53.4 million worth of poultry and poultry products in August 2026, exceeding the value of its domestic poultry exports and leaving the country with a N$4.4 million trade deficit, as re-exports accounted for virtually all poultry products shipped to foreign markets.

According to the Namibia Statistics Agency’s (NSA) International Merchandise Trade Statistics Bulletin for August 2026, the country exported poultry and poultry products worth N$49.0 million during the month, of which N$48.9 million consisted of re-exports and only N$100 000 represented domestic exports.

The figures highlight Namibia’s reliance on imported poultry products and the limited contribution of domestically exported products to the country’s recorded poultry trade, despite the relatively high value of goods moving through its export channels.

The NSA identifies poultry and poultry products as its commodity of the month, examining trade patterns between August 2025 and August 2026. It notes that the August exports consisted mostly of re-exports, with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zambia and Botswana emerging as the main destinations.

Re-exports refer to goods imported into a country and subsequently exported to another market, rather than products originating from domestic production. Consequently, the N$49.0 million in recorded poultry exports does not reflect an equivalent value of poultry produced by Namibian farmers or processors.

On the import side, Brazil, South Africa and the United States of America (USA) were the main sources of poultry and poultry products supplied to Namibia in August.

The country’s N$53.4 million import bill was slightly higher than its total export earnings for the month, illustrating the gap between the value of poultry products entering and leaving the country.

However, the August import figure marked a significant decline from levels recorded earlier in 2026. Monthly imports reached N$164.3 million in May, compared with N$114.6 million in April and N$114.3 million in March.

Imports subsequently declined to N$99.9 million in July before falling further to N$53.4 million in August.

Export values also fluctuated throughout the reporting period. Poultry re-exports increased from N$42.2 million in August 2025 to N$86.1 million in May 2026 before declining to N$48.9 million in August.

Domestic exports remained considerably smaller, although they reached N$5.7 million in December 2025 before dropping to N$0.1 million in August 2026.

The trade figures distinguish between Namibia’s role as a destination for imported poultry, a transit or redistribution point for products destined for other markets, and a producer supplying foreign buyers.