Local farmers are at liberty to set their own livestock selling prices, and currently prices fluctuate based on the willingness of consumers to meet the set prices.

Minister of Agriculture, Fedelis Molao told parliament that his Ministry “does not have any instrument” to regulate and set a standard price for the sale of cattle and that there is “no standardised price” for cattle, goats, sheep and other livestock in Botswana.

He said Botswana is a free market economy which means the market prices are determined by economic forces of supply and demand.

When responding to a question by Member of Parliament for Serowe South, Leepetswe Lesedi, Molao said there is no intention to regulate beef or meat prices because of Botswana’s free market economy status.

However, Government has approved the establishment of the Meat Industry Regulatory Authority ( MIRA).

The object ives of the Authority is not only to regulate beef prices but also to promote the interests of the meat industry in order to ensure the profitability, sustainability and competitiveness of the livestock and meat industry, including accelerating innovation and research and development across the industry value chains.