Poultry sector powers ahead
Namibia's poultry industry continued to grow in the first four months of 2026, with strong increases in chicken and egg marketing, while the dairy sector faced declining domestic production and rising imports.
According to the Livestock and Livestock Products Board (LLPB) Statistics Commentary Report, year-to-date chicken marketing reached 6.86 million birds by April, up 12.3% from 6.11 million birds during the same period in 2025. Egg marketing rose by 27.5% to 41.88 million eggs.
The LLPB said the figures highlight the poultry sector's growing contribution to domestic food security and consumer demand for affordable protein.
Despite the growth in local production, poultry imports remained an important part of Namibia's supply chain. Year-to-date imports of poultry and poultry products fell by 11.4%, from 8.05 million kilograms in 2025 to 7.13 million kilograms this year.
Poland remained Namibia's largest poultry supplier, accounting for 33.4% of imports, followed by Brazil with 23.7%. South Africa supplied 16.2%, while Argentina and the Netherlands contributed 12.8% and 8.3% respectively. Smaller volumes came from Eswatini, Spain, Belgium, the United States, Ireland and Thailand.
The LLPB said the decline in imports, coupled with higher domestic marketing volumes, reflects stronger local production and improved market performance.
The board expects the poultry sector to maintain its momentum through the remainder of 2026, supported by export demand, resilient production and diversified trade channels.
Dairy sector
In contrast, the dairy sector continued to face production challenges.
Domestic milk production fell by 3.3% year-on-year to 4.74 million litres by April, compared with 4.90 million litres during the same period in 2025. Monthly production declined by 7%, from 1.26 million litres in March to 1.17 million litres in April.
The LLPB said the decline highlights ongoing volatility in the sector and raises concerns about local production capacity.
As domestic output weakened, milk imports increased by 46.8% to 5.62 million litres, compared with 3.83 million litres during the corresponding period last year.
The figures place Namibia's milk self-sufficiency ratio at about 45.7%, meaning more than half of domestic demand is being met through imports.
Milk producer prices remained unchanged at an average of N$6.70 per litre.
Imports of dairy products also rose sharply. By April, dairy imports had increased by 41.6% year-on-year to 2.83 million kilograms. Monthly imports were up 20.7% compared with March.
South Africa remained the dominant supplier, accounting for 93.6% of dairy imports. Denmark supplied 3.4%, while Sweden contributed 2.1%. Other countries accounted for the remaining 1%.
The LLPB said the poultry sector remains one of Namibia's strongest-performing agricultural industries, while the dairy sector may require additional measures to boost local production and reduce dependence on imports.
