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FILE | A man herds cattle.
KwaZulu-Natal emerging and small-scale livestock farmers says they are bleeding through the wounds as they count their losses due to the Foot-and-Mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks.
The outbreak is said to have significantly affected sales and operations for livestock farmers this festive season due to the strict animal movement restrictions.
The restrictions are part of government’s efforts to contain the outbreak.
Speaking about the economic downfall the disease has had on farmers, the African Farmers Association of South Africa (AFASA) Provincial Secretary Donatusi Dlamini says, “We used to sell our livestock on auction, so they closed for example there is an auction here in Lyons River, it has closed because they found out that there is an FMD.”
“So us as emerging farmers we have no business because our business happens by selling our cattle. And when there is FMD nothing is happening. So we are calling on government to address this issue.”
Dlamini adds that they are meeting with other associations for commercial farmers in KwaZulu-Natal.
-Additional reporting by Celumusa Zulu
