03 Sep 2024

The Meat Industry Regulatory Authority (MIRA) Act is expected to promote the interest of the livestock and meat industry to ensure profitability, sustainability and competitiveness of the industry including accelerated innovation and research and development of the industry.

Answering a question in Parliament on Monday, Minister of Agriculture, Honourable Fidelis Molao said the Act would also provide for control, grading, marketing, importation and exportation of livestock and meat products and therefore protecting the local producers from being exploited.

“It will also promote a liberalised environment for livestock trade,” he said.

He added that the MIRA Act was commenced in phases from last month (August) where the first phase would pave way for the establishment of the governing board of the authority.

He said the board members and authority chairperson were recently appointed and would shortly commence work to appoint the chief executive officer (CEO), develop the board operating structure and appoint the authority management.

“The regulations for operationalising the Act are at drafting stage and expected to be taken for shareholder engagement in September 2024,” he said.

He added that through implementation of the Act, fair competition within the industry was expected which would be addressed by the regulation of marketing of livestock and livestock products.

“Promoting quality assurance scheme will facilitate production of quality livestock and products, thus enabling producers to access markets both locally and internationally,” he said.

He said the Act would also facilitate protection of the local industry through regulation of import and export of livestock and livestock products and also promote regulatory certainty which would facilitate business decision making, build consumer trust, foster innovation and promote local and foreign investment in the livestock sector.

Member of Parliament for Kgalagadi South, Mr Sam Brooks had asked the minister to provide an insight on the commencement of the MIRA Act, indicating date of commencement and the benefits expected from the implementation of the Act, especially on the local meat industry. Ends