For the year 2025, Namibia’s exports of hides and processed leather totalled 1,098,964 kilograms (kg), according to the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia.
The processed leather exports made up 51.7%, while raw hides accounted for 48.3% of the total exports.
South Africa remained the main market, absorbing 789,991 kg (71.9%), comprising processed leather (61.4%), and hides (38.6%).
Zimbabwe received 130,319 kg (11.9%), comprising processed leather (63.5%) and hides (36.5%), highlighting its role as a secondary value-added market.
The United Kingdom accounted for 79,441 kg (7.2%), made up exclusively of hides, while Italy imported 27,676 kg (2.5%) of hides.
In Asian markets, Vietnam received 52,730 kg (4.8%) and China 18,807 kg (1.6%), both consisting entirely of hides.
The Board revealed that export volumes are expected to remain constrained into early 2026, with any meaningful recovery dependent on improvements in cattle availability rather than shifts in external demand.
