Goats are one of the agricultural commodities that contribute less to the economy and trade of South Africa on records, but in real terms there are lot of goats that are sold every day on informal markets.

By Maile Matsimela, Digital Editor at African Farming

According to the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) most goats marketed in South Africa are sold by private transactions in the informal market, mostly in KwaZulu- Natal. According to estimates, the Black and Indian ethnic communities in KwaZulu-Natal consume 80% of the goats traded there. However, since Indians are participating in the goat trade, they are frequently thought of as the goats’ primary consumers.

The NAMC 2024 report on the bottlenecks impeding growth and development in the goat industry shows that Easter, December and the winter months see the highest demand on the live goat market. The consumption of goats during festive seasons and ceremonies is thought to be the cause of the seasonal spikes in demand. Goat auctions have lessened in importance in the production areas.

The report finds few goat meat products (also called “chevon products”) on market shelves because of the association with religion and tradition, therefore very few goats in the country are slaughtered through abattoirs. Lesotho, an independent country within South Africa, is the leading importer of chevon, accounting for 74% of South Africa’s export market of chevon in 2016. Moreover, the number of slaughtered goats in South Africa amounted to 719 200 in 2020 (South African Online, 2023) while the number of goats slaughtered informally in Africa amounted to 3.1 million (BFAP/NAMC).

Although families relying on farming for income have been decreasing in the period 2011 to 2016 (Stats SA agricultural survey 2016), goat farming has, however, been on the increase – especially by small-scale farmers in rural areas.

Live goat market

Goats can be found all over the country, although the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal provinces produce most of the live goats, accounting for approximately 70% of the total produced in the country. In South Africa, goats are raised mainly for their sacrificial purposes.

Meat market

Goat meat is underutilised and formal slaughtering for meat through abattoirs accounts for only 0.5 percent of the herd. Many people are goat averse because they claim that beef and mutton taste better. Moreover, goat meat is often used for traditional ceremonies and clashes with different people’s beliefs. Also, goat meat is associated with a bad smell, which makes it unpleasant to many people. Goats need to be handled correctly from a young age until slaughter and market stage to avoid this.

According to popular belief, only animals that are too old are sold, giving goat meat a terrible reputation. There are a few reasons why chevon was not previously promoted. Firstly, there is not enough information accessible on the indigenous goat industry. Another issue is that black farmers view their goats as a source of money or financial stability, therefore they aim to keep them rather than sell them (NAMC, 2005).

Fibre market

There is a large fibre market, including cashmere and mohair, but as mohair goats are vulnerable to heartwater these goats are limited to the Karoo and the Drakensberg areas.

The Boer goat, Savanna goat and Kalahari Red goat can also produce a tiny amount of cashmere.

According to other studies conducted in South Africa (NAMC, 2005), indigenous goats have two coats: coarse guard hair and cashmere-like fibre. However, the amount of cashmere fibre was often below commercially acceptable standards. The cashmere production capacity must be seen in the light that, at present, the goats are primarily bred for their meat and milk. The cashmere type of down fibre they produce is not being utilised at all. For this reason, it would be important to find a balance between meat and fibre production.

Goat milk market

Saanen, Toggenburg and British Alpine goat breeds are often referred to as milk goats and they are best known for their milk output. The high quality of these breeds’ milk makes it coveted. Compared to cow milk, goat milk has less lactose and does not include A1 casein, a protein that many people find to be inflammatory.

The milk goat market is also very limited in South Africa as milk goats are vulnerable to tick-borne disease and heat stress. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) estimates are that only one percent of South Africa’s goats are used for milk production, the lowest percentage in Southern Africa.

Indigenous breeds in the country or so-called Indigenous Veld goats are estimated at 77 percent of the national herd.