THE fight against the foot and mouth epidemic has seen 10 000 livestock vaccinated and a management area declared in Limpopo, Agriculture Minister Senzeni Zokwana said yesterday.
He said the animals affected by the disease were in four rural villages in the province, with communal dip tanks and grazing, lying within a 20km radius.
There are about 15000 cattle within this area, of which 4500 are within the foot and mouth disease management area that has been declared.
“A disease management area was declared, being the area enclosed by the R81, the R36, N1 and the R524. The exact boundaries of this area will be published in the Government Gazette,” he said in an update on measures taken so far.
No cloven-hoofed animals are allowed to move in, out or around the area.
“There is a complete standstill of cloven-hoofed animals. Movement permits, which were previously issued for this purpose, were withdrawn. Products from cloven-hoofed animals may be allowed to move within this area, but movements out of the area will be considered on merit and only allowed with permits issued by the local state vet and in compliance with the conditions of such permits,” the minister added.
South Africa has lost its status as a foot and mouth disease-free zone as a result of the outbreak in Limpopo’s Vhembe district.
This has had a devastating effect on trade of cloven-hoofed animals and their products from South Africa. While some countries instituted official bans, trade was further disrupted as a result of the inability to certify any exports where foot-and-mouth free zone attestation is required.
Zokwana stressed that this had had a devastating impact on trade for South African producers and a request had been made to trade partners to consider continuation of trade in safe products.
“Guarantees were provided for products which do not pose a risk of transmitting the disease, such as heat-treated meat and dairy products, deboned and matured beef, scoured wool, salted hides and skins, livestock embryos and pork products from known foot-and-mouth free pig compartments.”
This has seen trade restrictions on export of processed products relaxed by a large number of partners, he added.
“Trade in safe commodities to direct neighbouring countries have largely been accepted and, where necessary, negotiation of new health certificates is under way. There has also been good progress with negotiations to re-open markets for deboned matured beef, processed dairy products and processed hides and skins to other African countries, the Middle East and the Far East.”
Zokwana said a joint operations team was meeting daily to oversee the response to the disease. African News Agency (ANA)