Chapter 3 – Livestock market dynamics
Livestock prices, especially those of weaner calves and class-C carcasses, have been under pressure since the start of the year. We attribute this to an influx of live animals from Namibia due to extremely hot and dry conditions during the previous summer rainfall season. This, combined with consumer income pressures has kept price growth muted. We expect an interest-cutting cycle, and other factors such as lower fuel prices could stimulate demand towards the end of the year.
A view of beef carcass prices over the past year – A slow but steady increase
Figure 3
Source: Absa AgriBusiness, 2024
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