AGRICULTURE NEWS - The Commissioner of the Border Management Authority, Dr Michael Masiapato, has confirmed that on 26 November, BMA Port Agriculture officials intercepted aircrafts from Kenya and Tanzania carrying veterinary medicines (“Berenil”) in two polystyrene boxes.
The boxes, weighing about 84 kilograms, were allegedly in transit through the Polokwane International Airport to Pietermaritzburg Airport.
The consignment was initially refused entry, as it did not have the requisite import permits, as provided for in Section 6 of the Animal Diseases Act 35 of 1984.
Following discussions with the Department of Agriculture on the matter, it was decided that the product had to be confiscated and taken to the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute – Transboundary Animal Diseases Laboratory (OVI-TAD) for further analysis.
Masiapato further highlighted that the BMA is fully aware of the current Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak that the country is grappling with, and supports government's stance to protect the national herd health and mitigate the negative impact that this has on market access and economic development of local farmers.
“To that extent, we have strengthened vigilance and inspection services at the ports of entry to detect and intercept any illegal importation of untested biological and preventive veterinary products, including vaccines that may be injurious or harmful to local primary animal producers and economic prospects,” Masiapato said.
The attempt to smuggle animal medicines and vaccines into the country is a significant breach of veterinary and biosecurity regulations and is treated with utmost seriousness by the BMA.
Foot and Mouth Disease is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of livestock that has a significant economic impact.
The disease affects cattle, swine, sheep, goats, and other cloven-hoofed ruminants. It is a transboundary animal disease (TAD) that deeply affects the production of livestock and disrupts regional and international trade in animals and animal products.
There are seven viral serotypes (A, O, C, SAT1, SAT2, SAT3, and Asia1). Each serotype requires a specific vaccine to provide immunity to a vaccinated animal. Introduction of foreign serotypes may be detrimental to the current intensive control measures of the Department of Agriculture.
Farmers are advised to contact their local State Veterinarian if there is a suspicion of the disease in their animals.
The use of Foot and Mouth Disease vaccine is a state-controlled activity and it is prohibited to use any other vaccine for FMD outbreak control other than the legally procured vaccines.
The FMD vaccines used by the Department of Agriculture are procured from the Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI), according to the stipulated doses needed.
The Botswana Vaccine Institute hosts the World Organisation for Animal Health’s regional reference laboratory for Foot and Mouth Disease.
The BMA Port Agriculture unit remains committed to supporting the FMD control programmes of the Department of Agriculture and other stakeholders to ensure economic development of local producers and promote biosecurity measures for the Republic of South Africa. – SAnews.gov.za
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