By: Nghiinomenwa Erastus

From April to June this year, the horse mackerel industry has generated N$1,04 billion in fish export.

The Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Sector Statistical Bulletin released by the Namibia Statistics Agency last week shows.

The top export destination for horse mackerel/masbanger being the Democratic Republic of Congo- which bought N$350 million worth of fish in the three-month period.

The same country’s government has agreed to sell their 27 300 masbanger quarters for a lump sum of N$84 million for the harvesting season.

Zambia is the second top consumer of masbanger. They imported N$315 million worth of Namibian masbanger for the second quarter.

The report has indicated that for the second quarter of 2021, Namibia’s export earnings from commodities of the ‘agriculture, forestry and fishing’ sector amounted to N$3,5 billion.

The fisheries products including the manufactured fish accounted for the highest in terms of foreign earnings.

Fish and fishing products for the quarter attracted export earnings of N$3,31 billion, an increase from N$2,60 billion recorded in 2020Q2.

Hake was the top exported commodity in the quarter under review to the value of N$1,30 billion, followed by horse mackerel valued at N$1,04 billion million.

Çuttle fish and squid are third bringing in N$68,9 million in three months

The fishing sub-sector continues to lead in terms of their contribution to export with the current quarter scooping a share of 85,7%.

During 2021Q2, the total landings of quota species stood at 108,065 metric tons, from 76,190 metric tons recorded a year earlier, translating into an increase of 41,8%.

During the quarter under review, horse mackerel recorded the highest landings of 65,849 metric tons followed by hake with 40,300 metric tons.

In third place is monk recording quota landing of 1,301 metric tons.

The value-added for the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector to the overall economy for 2021Q2 stood at N$5,8 billion.

As a result, the sectors contributed 13,8% of GDP for the quarter.

Despite the fishing sector doing well, the sector’s value-added (production) declined by 1,5% in 2021Q2 compared to an increase of 32,7% to the same period last year. Email: erastus@thevillager.com.na