Two events in 2017 and early 2018 amply demonstrate the dangers posed on human and livestock health, growth of the livestock sector and overall national economic growth by the uncontrolled importation of livestock products.

These are the Avian Influenza (AI) outbreaks in Zimbabwe and South Africa in mid-2017 and the Listeriosis infections in South Africa during 2017 and 2018.

Increased risk of importing  livestock diseases
As the AI outbreak in Zimbabwe in 2017 showed, trans-boundary diseases can have a devastating impact on the livestock sector. The outbreak reduced broiler production from 118 000 metric tonnes achieved in 2016 to 106 000 mt during 2017, a decline of 10 percent. The country is still reeling from shortages in eggs as total production of eggs in 2017 was only 38 million dozen, 31 percent lower than the 55 million dozen achieved during 2016. As a result, off-farm prices that stood at $2,85 per tray in November 2016 jumped to $4,40 per 30 egg tray in November 2017 with frequent stock-outs being experienced in most major supermarkets.

Though the country was certified free of AI at the end of January 2018, the loss in poultry breeding stock will linger for a while necessitating the importation of hatching eggs to bridge the gap in both broiler and layer day-old chick supply.  This has led to the price of broiler chicks rising from 65 cents early in 2017 to the current 100 cents per chick being incurred by broiler farmers. Prices of layer chicks rose from $1,20 early in 2017 to the current $2,00 per chick. The negative impacts were also felt in the feeds sector which saw demand declining from 522 821 ton experienced in 2016 to 420 491 ton in 2017.

Soon after the announcement of the outbreak of AI in South Africa in June 2017, the government banned imports of all chicken products from that country. However, despite trade statistics from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimSTATS) indicating that no chicken imports entered the country between January and December 2017, information from the South African Revenue Services (SARS) show that 1 062 ton of frozen chicken and offals were exported by South Africa to Zimbabwe during the same period. Crucially, 123 ton of those imports occurred during August and December when the ban was in force and indicates that illicit imports of chicken continues.

It is estimated that revenue of $1,6 million for 2017 was lost through these illicit imports and the country was put at risk of importing the AI virus that still has not been adequately controlled within South Africa.

Through the valiant efforts by the local poultry industry working closely with the Department of Veterinary Services, Zimbabwe was declared AI free at the end of January 2018.

However, if the illicit chicken imports are not curbed, the country risks new outbreaks and a re-run of the significant economic losses the industry suffered last year. Failure to curb illegal imports will also hinder achievement of the objectives of the ambitious Special Livestock, Fisheries and Wildlife Programme.

Increased human disease risks of importation of livestock products

Uncontrolled importation of livestock can pose a danger to human health as demonstrated by the deadly outbreak of Listeriosis that South Africa is currently struggling to contain.  The disease is caused by high numbers of Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that naturally occurs in the environment, and usually spreads to humans through contaminated food. Though cooking kills Listeria, it still can multiply under refrigeration and therefore poses high risk in ready-to-eat processed meats and cheeses.

The World Health Organisation rates South Africa’s Listeriosis outbreak as the second-largest documented crisis worldwide. More than 900 people were infected by Listeriosis with at least 183 dying from the infection between January 2017 and the beginning of March 2018 when the South African government identified a meat-processing factory as the source.

Given the gravity of the outbreak in South Africa, Zimbabwe needs to be vigilant in protecting its consumers from this serious human disease risk. Information from both local and South African trade agencies indicate that Zimbabwe has been importing processed livestock products that have been singled out as the likely source of the South African outbreak. Statistics from ZimSTATS show that between January and November 2017, Zimbabwe imported 286 ton of ready-to-eat processed meat products of which – 154 ton originated from South Africa according to SARS.

In the first two months of 2018 alone, Zimbabwe has imported 51 ton of the same products from South Africa indicating possible risk of exposure of local consumers to the bacteria.

Though Zimbabwe has since banned the imports of all processed ready-to-eat meat products from South Africa, the risk remains from illicit products entering our markets as witnessed in frozen chicken imports unless greater efforts are put in place to curb such activities. The incentive for such illegal activities is particularly high as prices of the implicated products have dropped drastically on the South African side of the border.

Disease, livestock and economic growth

Finally, the above risks are particularly important in light of Government’s recently launched Special Livestock, Fisheries and Wildlife Programme that seeks to invest $300 million to develop various sectors of the livestock industry to meaningfully contribute to national economic growth. Diseases such as AI reduce viability of livestock projects while human diseases brought in by illegally imported products are a potential drain on national resources desperately needed to spur growth.

The Livestock and Meat Advisory Council and its allied Associations are engaging various arms of government to improve implementation of import bans as well as developing strategies to counter smuggling of livestock products that have potential to bring in diseases from outside Zimbabwe. Such strategies will help reduce leakage of duty revenues and ensure that there is a fair business environment for local livestock farmers and processors – key elements to fostering economic growth of Zimbabwe.