In 2020 Namibia became the first African country allowed to export raw beef to the United States. To get there, it passed an audit of its meat-safety system against US standards. Europe has bought Namibian beef for even longer: in 2025 the EU took about 80% of exports.
How Namibia reached the US market
- 2016 — Namibia becomes eligible to export beef to the US.
- September 2019 — inspectors from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) carry out an on-site audit.
- February 2020 — the first shipment, about 25 tons of chilled beef, leaves for Philadelphia. The exporter is Meatco, the country's largest abattoir, in Windhoek.
- Under the 2020 approval, Meatco may export up to 5,700 tons of beef a year: carcasses, cuts and offal. Exports enter duty-free under AGOA.
US market access for meat is granted by the USDA, not the FDA. Few countries hold it, so access itself is a strong signal of quality and control.
Why the beef is valued
- Free-range cattle. Namibian cattle spend most of their lives grazing on vast savanna farms.
- Animal-level traceability. A national livestock identification system traces meat back to the farm.
- Strict veterinary control. Export farms lie south of the veterinary cordon fence (the "Red Line"), under a special disease-control regime.
- Europe is the biggest buyer. In 2025 Namibia exported 13.4 million kg of beef; 80.7% went to the EU, with more to Norway and the UK.
What is happening in 2026
In September 2026 foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed in the south (//Kharas region), and in October in the Zambezi region. The veterinary service imposed livestock movement controls, vaccination and extra checkpoints, and a veterinary fence is being built along the Orange River. The EU and the UK have temporarily suspended imports of fresh beef until the zone's status is restored. Foot-and-mouth disease is a disease of cloven-hoofed animals and is not a public-health risk to people.
Where to taste it
- Beef steak at steakhouses in Windhoek and Swakopmund, usually grilled over an open fire (braai).
- Kapana, street food of thinly sliced spiced meat grilled over coals.
- Biltong, dried meat sold everywhere from supermarkets to petrol stations.
More on Namibian meat and beer: Namibia beer and meat guide.
Food on your tour
We build steakhouse dinners, open-air braais and tastings into routes. For business tours, meetings with players in the meat industry can be arranged on request. The programme is discussed at the first free consultation.
This material is provided for reference. Data as of October 2026.
