South Africa opens border for Namibia's livestock #sa

AN announcement on 26 August by the South African
Feedlot Association (Safa) that livestock import regulations
for Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland and Botswana have been
suspended with immediate effect, was welcomed by
Namibian farmers.
Executive director of the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU),
Sakkie Coetzee said it was "good news" although the
industry is waiting for an official announcement from the
Namibian Directorate of Veterinary Services.
The implementation of the livestock import regulations on 1
May by the South African Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries came as a major setback for Namibian
producers, and according to reported figures from the
Namibian Meat Board, the industry was losing about N$2,3
million daily because of the restrictions.
Requirements involved tedious veterinary tests and
supervision of animals intended to be exported to ensure
they are not a health risk to South African animals. This
was an expensive and time-consuming exercise that
demotivated farmers to export their livestock, resulting in
an 'over-production' of about 160 000 animals that could
have been exported to this market at a 20% higher price
than what they allegedly fetch locally, farmers informed The
Namibian.
"We questioned whether it was really necessary to comply
with all the requirements set by this restriction considering
Namibian livestock health standards that even qualify for
meat exports to the European Union," said Coetzee.
According to the announcement by Safa, the [SA] director
general said that Safa's objections to the revised import
requirements have been upheld by SA's Ministry of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
"It is the view of the [SA] minister that there was insufficient
inclusive consultation. The Director of Animal Health will
shortly call for comments on the revised import
requirements via the [SA] Government Gazette," the
announcement stated, signed by Safa's executive director
Dave Ford.
It is expected that everything will "return to normal" in
about three months.
"We are sitting with animals that were intended for this
market, so now they first have to go to auction," a very
happy farmer from Khomas told this newspaper.
Coetzee agreed that it will take a while to return to normal
because of infrastructure rearrangements due to other
arrangements that had to be made to transport and keep
animals, as well as re-adaptation of contracts with SA
clients.
"Otherwise, local farmers will not have to go through all
these health checks and monitors, and the only permits now
have to do with transport and export, which makes it much
easier," he said.