Zuko Komisa
- Inconsistent provincial FMD measures are creating confusion and blocking vital export channels.
- Industry leaders argue that animal disease control is being wrongly conflated with dairy processing standards.
- Producers claim safe, processed goods are being penalised by movement restrictions intended for live livestock.
South Africa’s dairy industry is under significant strain as foot and mouth disease (FMD) containment measures begin to trigger export restrictions on products that industry experts maintain are scientifically safe.
Food producer Clover SA has warned that inconsistent, non-standardised eradication efforts across various provinces are creating a regulatory vacuum, effectively barring local goods from international markets.
Clover SA has said that while FMD is a national disaster requiring a robust response, the current fragmented approach is counterproductive.
The lack of a unified strategy has led to a situation where regulatory hurdles, rather than product safety, are preventing South African dairy from reaching global consumers.
This inconsistency makes it nearly impossible for the industry to maintain a reliable export reputation.
Kaya Biz with Gugulethu Mfuphi spoke to Jacques van Heerden, an executive at Clover, who notes that the current containment strategy fails to recognise that dairy processing standards such as pasteurisation render products safe regardless of the disease’s presence in livestock.
Listen to the conversation here:
READ NEXT: SIU probe reveals decades of deep-seated corruption at Home Affairs Department
The post Clover warns of ‘irreversible damage’ as foot and mouth disease controls stifle dairy exports appeared first on KAYA 959.
