Government has, with immediate effect, suspended the
importation of all live cloven-hoofed animals and their products from South
Africa following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in some parts of
Limpopo Province on Tuesday.
Botswana has also taken similar action. In a statement
yesterday, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural
Resettlement said the position was arrived at following an outbreak of the
disease, affecting the non-vaccination disease-free zone in the
Limpopo
Province.
FMD was reported in these areas on Tuesday, although
authorities say the affected places will not affect the country’s meat export
business.
“The control of foot and mouth disease involves the
implementation of trade restrictions,” said the ministry in a statement.
“Consequently, all imports that had been issued before
09-01-2019 and not used are hereby cancelled.
“In line with the Animal Health Act CAP 10:01, the issuance
of permits is a mandatory requirement for the importation of all animal
products. Any import application will now be considered on a case by case basis
depending on the risk.”
Government said the Department of Veterinary Service would
continue monitoring the situation, in view of progress to be made in the
control of the outbreak.
On Tuesday, the highly contagious disease, which poses a
threat to the livestock industry, was detected in the northern district of
South Africa’s Limpopo Province.
Positive laboratory results for the viral disease, which
causes lesions and lameness in cattle and sheep, were taken in the Vhembe
District of Limpopo Province, which borders Zimbabwe.
The South African Department of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries, in a statement, said the affected areas were under quarantine and
investigations to verify the results and determine the extent of the outbreak
were being conducted.
“We have quickly quarantined the area, so it does not
affect the commercial livestock farming which will pose a danger to us as
consumers and the export business,” said that country’s Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries spokesman, Khaye Nkwanyana.
The World Organisation for Animal Health has officially
temporarily suspended South Africa’s FMD free status, but exports were
continuing as the affected cattle were not from commercial farmers. Herald
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