26 May 2025
Livestock farmers warn they may soon go out of business if the government does not support those affected by the preventative measures for foot and mouth disease (FMD).
But the agriculture department blamed farmers for not adhering to the preventive measures. Hennie de Wet, a farmer based in Nquthu near Dundee, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), said the FMD preventative measures, introduced during the FMD outbreak in 2021, include the prohibition of slaughtering and transporting livestock.
Affected provinces
The most affected provinces were KZN, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Eastern Cape. Yesterday, De Wet spoke of farmers’ frustration.
“Every time a farmer wants to sell or slaughter cattle, they need to go through a long assessment process,” he said.
“There is a backlog for the assessment process. It is also expensive and can cost more than R21 000. It is paid for by the farmer without any state assistance.”
Transport ban
He said the government could lift the transport ban and related measures because the FMD strain in the country was not dangerous.
“One member of parliament asked how many people or livestock had been killed by the disease, and there was none,” said De Wet.
He said farmers illegally transported animals during the night and sold them in other provinces. He said the situation had forced him to sell his herd of 700 cattle.
“After realising that the situation was getting out of control, I decided to sell my cattle,” he said. “It was lucky that I found somebody to buy the cattle. With the restrictions in place, farmers are struggling to access the market.
“There are farmers I know who are failing to pay employees.” Dr Frikkie Maré, chief executive officer of the Red Meat Producers Organisation, said FMD was a state-controlled disease, and the industry can only make recommendations to the government.
“The government must realise that its responsibility does not end with disease control, but also extends to the businesses and individuals affected by the measures.”
Source:Citizen
