# Botswana beef farmers fear market losses due to Covid-19

> Botswana closed its border with South Africa during the COVID-19 emergency, cutting off producers' most lucrative export market. Demand for premium cuts is also falling as tourism and social events shut down.

- Date: 2020-04-03 · published 2020-04-03T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: trade · region Botswana · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/53583-botswana-beef-farmers-fear-market-losses-due-to-covid-19
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

Lost export outlets and weaker premium beef demand push Botswana cattle prices lower and add to regional beef oversupply. The effect on global feed and grain markets is minimal.

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LCATTLE | 2019-09-16 | [SA farmers concerned about live cattle exports from Botswana](https://feedsoft.ai/events/57035-sa-farmers-concerned-about-live-cattle-exports-from-botswana.md) | -0.2% | +8.5% |
| LCATTLE | 2018-05-14 | [Market Closes - May 16, 2018 - Kentucky Farm Bureau](https://feedsoft.ai/events/10234-market-closes-may-16-2018-kentucky-farm-bureau.md) | -3.7% | -4.8% |
| LCATTLE | 2018-08-24 | [Beef Market Update: A lot of mouths to feed - RealAgriculture](https://feedsoft.ai/events/63660-beef-market-update-a-lot-of-mouths-to-feed-realagriculture.md) | +0.4% | +2.4% |
| LCATTLE | 2017-03-15 | [Mexico opens market to beef imports](https://feedsoft.ai/events/71965-mexico-opens-market-to-beef-imports.md) | +2.9% | +2.6% |
| LCATTLE | 2025-10-24 | [Fears of Mexico border reopening cap a brutal week for the cattle market - Pro Farmer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/22526-fears-of-mexico-border-reopening-cap-a-brutal-week-for-the-cattle-market-pro.md) | -1.3% | -8.3% |
| FCATTLE | 2018-05-14 | [Market Closes - May 16, 2018 - Kentucky Farm Bureau](https://feedsoft.ai/events/10234-market-closes-may-16-2018-kentucky-farm-bureau.md) | -4.5% | +5.4% |
| FCATTLE | 2025-10-24 | [Fears of Mexico border reopening cap a brutal week for the cattle market - Pro Farmer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/22526-fears-of-mexico-border-reopening-cap-a-brutal-week-for-the-cattle-market-pro.md) | -4.4% | -6.2% |
| FCATTLE | 2025-10-21 | [Trump plan to import Argentine beef angers US farmers - Agweek \| #1 source for agriculture news, farming, markets](https://feedsoft.ai/events/22369-trump-plan-to-import-argentine-beef-angers-us-farmers-agweek-1-source-for.md) | -7.4% | -8.9% |

## Sources

- farmersweekly.co.za: https://www.farmersweekly.co.za/agri-news/africa/botswana-beef-farmers-fear-market-losses-due-to-covid-19/

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.