Mvurwi farmers refuse to pay dipping levy

Majority of livestock farmers in Mvurwi are reluctant to pay the RTGS$2 per beast dipping fee. The levy is paid every year despite the area being affected by the deadly disease foot and mouth recently.

Addressing hundreds of farmers converged at a field day in Govhiti, Mvurwi , veterinary officer Annoy Mandeya implored farmers to pay the required fee and save their animals from the foot and mouth disease.

"As Mvurwi we were spared of foot and mouth but just last week it has visited us at our two major diptanks that is Petra dip tank and Muswenhede diptanks which boarders with Mazowe where foot and mouth is wrecking havoc," Mandeya said.  "It is very worrisome that the majority of us here are very reluctant to pay dip tank fee levies some say they cannot afford but unfortunately foot and mouth kills so better pay $2 than lose the beasts to foot and mouth."

Meantwhile ,the host farmer Lovemore Chikonyora (34) said the dip tanks are not very effective as they fail to effectively remove ticks so they resort to their own means of vaccinations

Said Chikonyora ,"The problem with our dip tanks is they do not effectively provide vaccinations you will find ticks minutes after the livestock visit the tanks, so as farmers we end up buying our own vaccines and vaccinating them at our own cause we cannot just waste money in such a way."

Another farmer Evans Makope  said the lack of money in most cases as they get their monies once per year.

"Our major challenge is lack of money ,in most cases when these veterinary officers come for vaccines our pockets will be empty we sell our outputs once a year, indeed the dipping is also once a year but at times it does not tally with the time we get money," Lamented Makope.

Foot and Mouth disease entered Mashonaland Central province on 25 June 2018 and it originated in Mozambique hence veterinary department has placed all the eight districts in the province under quarantine and stopped the movement of livestock due to the outbreak.