Paddy Zhanda

Brighton Gumbo Business Reporter
Deputy Minister of Agriculture responsible for Livestock Production, Paddy Zhanda yesterday said the foot and mouth disease that affected about five provinces was “under control” as the government was implementing measures to contain it.

He said the government has allocated enough funding to procure adequate vaccines to curb any further outbreaks.

“The situation is well under control as the government has implemented measures to contain the outbreak of the disease in other areas of the country, which haven’t been affected,” he said.

Farmers mainly from Matabeleland region and Midlands province had been unhappy at the government’s failure to effectively control FMD, which experts say could wipe out the national cattle herd and reverse economic gains from the sector.

Once there is an outbreak of FMD, agriculture consultant Tapuwa Mashangwa said, a thriving or developing agricultural sector will suffer direct and indirect losses.

These include; reduced milk production, affecting both the humans and calves that depend on it (this can account for 33 percent of losses in endemic settings); reduced livestock growth, mortality in young stock, typically, reported to be between 2-5 percent; loss of traction power where draught animals are used (if this occurs during harvest the effects can be particularly severe); abortion — the cost of a single abortion is high as the farmer will have to pay to keep the cow without it producing anything for another year or more or cull the animal.

Cattle sales had to be banned at the Midlands and Bulawayo agricultural shows recently due to fears over the spread of FMD. Several abattoirs have closed shop — losing business in the process.

However, Deputy Minister Zhanda insists the government has played its role well.

He said his ministry recently stopped issuing out new licences for abattoirs in a bid to contain the spread of the disease.

“We recently stopped issuing new licences for abattoirs as there’s no need to.

“We’ve learnt that some of these abattoir owners are responsible for spreading foot and mouth disease through illegal transportation of cattle from one area to another,” he said adding that the movement and sales of animals in affected areas was prohibited as these could lead to the spread of the disease.

The deputy minister said his ministry was working towards engaging all players in the livestock industry to work with the Department of Veterinary Services in controlling FMD.

He disputed recent reports that about 20 cases per week being reported as coming from Masvingo province.

“I’m not aware of such a figure being reported as coming from Masvingo province. Such information hasn’t been brought to my attention,” said Deputy Minister Zhanda.

He said Masvingo province is where the outbreak of the disease was first reported in Mwenezi and Chiredzi areas before spreading to other provinces in the country.

A few weeks ago Treasury revealed that about $1.5 million had been disbursed towards the control of FMD.

The animal disease and risk management intervention by the government has facilitated importation of 750,000 doses from the neighbouring Botswana.

Zimbabwe used to be an exporter of beef and related products to the lucrative European market but lost business due to factors such as disease outbreaks.