Joint Update Statement of the Department and between the Red Meat Industry on the Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak in Vhembe District delivered Honourable Minister Senzeni Zokwana (MP)
04 February 2019
On the 14th of January 2019, as the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, I convened a meeting with the Red Meat Association to engage on better responses on the outbreak of the Food and Mouth Disease (FMD) in Limpopo, Vhembe District.
In this meeting we agreed on a collaborative approach between government and Industry in eliminating the spillage. I must commend the contributions so far from the industry in particular at technical committees’ level. The update we are giving today is a cumulative work of the collective past two weeks.
As a result of the FMD outbreak, South Africa lost its OIE recognised FMD free zone without vaccination status. 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 for any exports where FMD free zone attestation is required.