By Charl van Rooyen
The goat industry is experiencing double-digit growth with little effort – and with the development of a strong brand, this profitable branch of small livestock farming has the potential to achieve record-breaking expansion, benefiting both the formal and informal markets.
In South Africa, demand for live goats stands at 1,7 million, far outstripping current supply. Speaking at the annual LRF Stockman School, Kuruman farmer Albie Horn emphasised the need to breed more goats specifically for the retail market. “Africa currently supplies only 20% of the goat meat sold globally. This presents a clear opportunity for growth.”
Horn farms with SA Boer goats, Kalahari Reds and Blackberrys – the standard white-and-reddish-brown, solid reddish brown and black varieties of Boer goats, respectively. He developed the Blackberrys and played a key role, alongside other breeders, in the development of the Kalahari Red.
Over the years, Southern Africa has produced some of the finest meat goat breeds in the world. “Goat meat and our meat goat breeds are the jewels of Africa,” Horn says.
About 60% of the global population consumes goat meat, and in South Africa its popularity continues to grow.
There are an estimated 6 million goats in South Africa, of which 63% are owned by communal farmers in rural areas. Only 5% of these goats enter the formal market, and a mere 0,5% of goat meat reaches the retail sector. Most goat farmers rely on the informal market as their primary source of income, where animals are sold for cultural, social and religious purposes.
There needs to be commercialisation of Boer goat farming in rural areas, Horn says. To unlock the potential, he suggests two things that need to happen.
First, indigenous goats should be selectively bred to improve the weight and quality of carcasses.
Second, goat farmers should take advantage of opportunities to increase the supply of goat meat to retail and export markets.
One way to do it, is to develop a brand and secure the intellectual property rights for that brand, like others have done with registered trademarks such as Karoo Lamb and Karoo Meat of Origin. Horn suggests names like Kalahari Goat Meat or Karoo Capretto (“capretto” is Italian for goat kid).
The commercial potential of Boer goats offers great opportunities for improving the livelihoods of rural farmers and communities.
Also read:
Developing a goat industry as robust as the beef sector
Farming with Boer goats: A guide to South Africa’s top meat breed
The Blackberry – a new goat breed and new opportunities
