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Shepias Dube Business Reporter
THE outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease and the subsequent suspension of cattle sales at one of Bulawayo’s biggest livestock markets, CC Sales, has resulted in an estimated loss of $600 000 worth of business in just two months, a situation stakeholders argue might kill the livestock industry in the region. CC Sales used to handle at least 2 000 head of cattle per month but was closed in early April after a suspected case of FMD.
FMD has been spreading in Matabeleland North, South, Midlands and Masvingo but it has emerged that the country does not have enough measures and resources to control and prevent the viral disease.
“Since the 8th of April, except for the trade fair period, CC Sales had their Showground sales indefinitely suspended. This has affected our business to virtually zero turnover,” said company director Mr Richard Wakefield in an interview on Friday.
He said before the closure the company would sell more than 2 000 head per month with a turnover of more than $300 000.
“For the month of March alone we managed to sell an average of 582 cattle per week at an average cost of $575 per head,” he said.
In addition, he said, on average the company would see 60 buyers and 150 sellers attending weekly sales.
Mr Wakefield said the beef industry was one of the only vibrant remaining businesses left anchoring Bulawayo and the closure of cattle sales and abattoirs had enormous repercussions throughout the farming community in Matabeleland.
He said farmers were struggling to raise school fees, medical bills and the daily cost of feeding their families.
Mr Wakefield said those with a sizeable number of workers were also struggling to pay salaries.
“We currently receive between 15 and 20 phone calls everyday from desperate farmers begging for CC Sales to resume operations as they say the showgrounds sales was their market place of choice,” he said.
He urged the Government to act quickly and find ways to contain the outbreak and pave way for the re-opening of CC Sales.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union president Mr Abdul Nyathi said while the temporary closure of CC Sales was necessary to control the spread of foot and mouth it had deprived farmers of a lucrative market for their cattle.
He said unscrupulous cattle dealers were taking advantage of desperate rural farmers from whom they buy cattle for a song.
“The temporary closure of CC Sales has resulted in an alarming rise in the number of uncouth buyers who are buying cattle from desperate farmers at unsustainable prices,” Mr Nyathi said.
The ZFU president said the closure of a large and central market such as CC Sales was likely to spur illegal movement of cattle in the region.
A senior officer in the veterinary department, who declined to be named for professional reasons, said the reopening of a quarantined area was at the discretion of the provincial officer after some considerations.
“The decision to re-open a quarantined area like CC Sales lies with the provincial head in the veterinary department after considering issues like the last time the disease was detected and if the situation is under control,” he said.
A local agro-business consultant said the effects of foot and mouth were also felt by value chain actors and sub sectors linked to the beef industry.
“The impact of foot and mouth is felt across various sectors of the economy. Talk to farmers, abattoirs, transporters and even stock feed processors; they are all suffering,” he said.
He said foot and mouth disease had also hindered the country’s efforts to export beef following the recent restoration of the Zimbabwe quota on beef exports to the European Union.
According to a report detailing the spread of FMD, most of the southern parts of the country risk being declared a red zone.
The report noted that in Matabeleland South infected areas were Greystone farm, Debshan headquarters, Nelly’s vlei Flack happy and Blueridge in Insiza North.
In Gwanda, Mzingwane dip tank, in Mangwe Weldane farm and in Matobo Weebit farm, Manadoo feedlot, Mbokodo feedlot and Malaba farm were affected.
In Beitbridge the affected area was Joko dip tank.
Three districts of Insiza, Gwanda North and Beitbridge were under quarantine, the report noted.
In Matabeleland North, the report shows infection passed through Bulawayo cattle sale on 8 May while 257 head of cattle were yarded and dispersed to 26 properties.
Districts which received the animals were Umguza, Bubi, Tsholotsho, Mangwe, Matobo and Bulilima.
A follow up has shown that some of the affected areas include Kenberg and Umkaen in Umguza and Lockview in Bulawayo.
In Midlands, infection has been reported in Mberengwa, Zvishavane and Shurugwi districts.
The Shurugwi infections were at the border with Gweru.
A new infection was also reported in Mvuma at Shashe dip tank.
Government has insisted that the situation was under control although experts on the ground warn of a possible continued spread of the disease.
The first case of FMD in the country was clinically detected on 16 August 2000 in a cattle feedlot in south-western Zimbabwe.
Prior to the outbreak, the country was known as an exporter of meat especially to the European market.
The outbreaks have adversely affected the meat industry.
Emerging indications point to the fact that there are two sources of infection in the Zimbabwe outbreaks, both originating from the African buffalo species.
FMD is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of livestock with significant economic impact.
The disease affects cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and other cloven-hoofed ruminants.
All species of deer and antelope as well as elephant, and giraffe are susceptible to FMD.
In a susceptible population, morbidity approaches 100 percent. Intensively reared animals are more susceptible to the disease than traditional breeds.
The disease is rarely fatal in adult animals but there is often high mortality in young animals due to myocarditis or by lack of milk when the dam is infected by the disease.
FMD is characterised by fever and blister-like sores on the tongue and lips, in the mouth, on the teats and between the hooves. The disease causes severe production losses and while most affected animals recover, the disease often leaves them debilitated.
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