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Livestock at an owner’s premises
Dairy farmers in KwaZulu-Natal say they have been severely impacted by the Foot-and-Mouth disease (FMD) and the new restrictions imposed by government to contain the spread.
The province has reported 191 outbreaks, with 172 still active. New cases have continued to emerge, with several reported in the Amajuba area including Dannhauser, Newcastle, and Emadlangeni local municipalities and an Indaba is being hosted by the Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen on Monday.
CEO of Orange Grove Company, Dave Durham, says the FMD outbreaks have also led to slow trade, especially international markets suspending imports of South African dairy and livestock products.
“Our concern is that we need a swift solution for KZN for the FMD that is spreading rapidly in the province. We want to work together with the provincial government of KZN to come up with the protocols that will work best for all of us in here and not put our industry or any other industry at risk because there is less information shared,” says Durham.
Meanwhile, Agriculture and Rural Development MEC, Thembeni Madlopha-Mthethwa engaged dairy farmers at Dundee and surrounding areas. She says they will revise the restrictions imposed along the N2 and N3.
“Their concerns are genuine, and they say when the department nationally demarcates the area, they demarcate them as FMD affected areas. They say we need to look at the corridors, N2 and N3 because we are affecting the road and we need to look into that. They say they need the department to partner with them and they are even willing to pay for the medication so that the spread of the disease can be curbed. They are willing to allow their cattle to be vaccinated even prior to the identification,” says Madlopha-Mthethwa.
