The troubled Cold Storage Commission (CSC), which defaulted on payments for foot and mouth disease (FMD) affected cattle from Botswana, has been told to make advance payments before a new deal kicks off.
Report by Nqobile Bhebhe
In July 2011, Botswana and Zimbabwe signed a memorandum of understanding where close to 30 000 cattle from the neighbouring country’s FMD infested zones were to be imported for direct slaughter at the CSC abattoirs in Bulawayo.
The Botswana government decided to stop trading with Zimbabwe after CSC failed to honour its side of the deal, remitting 60% of the income gained from meat sales.
Despite a new deal having been inked last December l, Maun Abattoir manager Mothobi Mothobi told Botswana’s parliamentary portfolio committee on Agriculture that they now wanted cash up front. Mothobi said the arrangement was meant to avoid a repeat of the problems that plagued the first deal.
Mothobi said 600 cattle were exported to Zimbabwe last year and the deal collapsed because CSC stopped paying agreed installments. It is understood that CSC had since cleared the arrears.
Two veterinary officials from Zimbabwe are in Ngamiland, Botswana, for inspections before the deal starts.
Once the arrangement resumes, CSC would import 500 cattle weekly.
