News / National
'Zim beef might be banned in EU again'
18 Feb 2014 at 07:08hrs | Views
HEAD of the Department of Veterinary and Livestock Services Dr Josphat Nyika has warned that Zimbabwe's beef products might soon be banned again by the European Union following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth and lumpy skin diseases in the Lowveld.
Addressing journalists following a tour of Save Valley Conservancy last week, Nyika said the diseases were fast spreading to other districts because the perimeter fence had been vandalised.
He also cited lack of resources such as vaccines and transport.
"The country's red zone is posing a serious threat to the beef industry in the country and failure to control it might be a disaster that might attract a ban on the exportation of beef to the European Union," Nyika said.
In 2004, the EU banned beef imports from Zimbabwe following a similar disease outbreak.
Already, foot-and-mouth disease has been reported at Lavanger, a farm that borders Chiredzi and Zaka districts, while on the south, the disease was treated in some parts of Chivi district.
"The outbreak started in Save Valley Conservancy where we are having problems with animals mixing with buffaloes. The settlement pattern there is such that the outbreak of diseases is there to stay for as long as buffaloes continue to mix with cattle. We are afraid that at the rate the disease is spreading to other areas, it might spread countrywide and once that happens, we are likely to have our beef banned by the European Union," Nyika said.
He said about 93 000 out of the 174 000 cattle in the area were vaccinated at the beginning of the outbreak amid plans to repeat the programme three times every year to keep a lid on the disease.
Addressing journalists following a tour of Save Valley Conservancy last week, Nyika said the diseases were fast spreading to other districts because the perimeter fence had been vandalised.
He also cited lack of resources such as vaccines and transport.
"The country's red zone is posing a serious threat to the beef industry in the country and failure to control it might be a disaster that might attract a ban on the exportation of beef to the European Union," Nyika said.
Already, foot-and-mouth disease has been reported at Lavanger, a farm that borders Chiredzi and Zaka districts, while on the south, the disease was treated in some parts of Chivi district.
"The outbreak started in Save Valley Conservancy where we are having problems with animals mixing with buffaloes. The settlement pattern there is such that the outbreak of diseases is there to stay for as long as buffaloes continue to mix with cattle. We are afraid that at the rate the disease is spreading to other areas, it might spread countrywide and once that happens, we are likely to have our beef banned by the European Union," Nyika said.
He said about 93 000 out of the 174 000 cattle in the area were vaccinated at the beginning of the outbreak amid plans to repeat the programme three times every year to keep a lid on the disease.
Source - NewsDay
