The National Veterinary Directorate, in the Ministry of Agriculture, announced that it placed a ban on the import of meat from South Africa, after an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) was spotted in Limpopo, a South African province.
Â
The Mozambican restriction applies to livestock, cows, pigs, goats and sheep for fattening or slaughter, meat and meat products from these animals. In addition, the Mozambican authorities also banned the import of livestock fodder from South Africa.
The Veterinary Services have ordered increased vigilance in the districts bordering on South Africa to prevent infected animals or meat from entering Mozambique.
The ban could have a significant impact on the Mozambican meat market, due to the fact that the local livestock producers can’t meet the demand on their own.
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a severe, highly contagious viral disease that affects cows, pigs, sheep, goats, deer and other animals with divided hooves. This disease can spread quickly and cause significant economic losses.
