Neighbours suspend imports of poultry from SA amid avian flu crisis
The two countries together accounted for more than a quarter of SA’s broiler exports last year
There were no further outbreaks on Tuesday of the highly contagious avian flu that has infected two farms in the country, but Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana announced that they had suspended poultry imports from SA with immediate effect. SA and Mozambique banned poultry imports from Zimbabwe this month after a bird flu outbreak there. Botswana, which only imports 5% of its poultry needs, said it would no longer buy poultry meat, processed products or feeds from SA. “The restriction is a precautionary measure to avoid equal infection here as well as protect our people,” Agriculture Minister Patrick Ralotsia said. Zimbabwe imposed a similar ban, while Namibia has also halted imports from Belgium, which experienced an outbreak of bird flu earlier this year. The first outbreak in SA of the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N8 was at one of the poultry breeding facilities belonging to Astral Foods in the Villiers district in the Free State. The company confirmed the outbreak on Tuesday...
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