By Deon Schlechter
WINDHOEK – All eyes in the Namibian livestock industry will be on the Namibian delegation headed by the Acting Director of Veterinary Services (DVS), Dr John Shoopola.
Accompanied by renowned veterinarian, Dr Herbert Schneider, and the Chairperson of the Livestock Producers Forum, Mecki Schneider, they are on a mission to convince the South African authorities to rethink and postpone the set deadline of May 1 for the new import requirements which has been described as “impossible and with far-reaching consequences for the Namibian livestock export industry”. The meeting will be conducted with representatives of the South African Red Meat Producers Organisation (RPO) and the Department of Veterinary Services on March 7 in Johannesburg to relax stringent new veterinary requirements from South Africa for Namibian livestock exports to that country which serve as a lifeline for local producers. Namibia’s world-renowned veterinary expert, Dr Schneider, has been called upon to present the country’s case on this delicate issue after the South Africans refused to budge on the set deadline of May 1 after the initial discussions earlier last month.
The General Manager of the Meat Board of Namibia, Paul Strydom, says if implemented, these requirements will with immediate effect place a limitation on Namibian livestock exports to South Africa. These new regulations require that livestock for South African markets must come from the World Veterinary Organisation (OIE) declared lung sickness-free zone, as well as health tests on individual animals for certain diseases, and the isolation of animals in quarantine facilities before exporting. The requirements also include the individual identification of sheep, proof of vaccinations against anthrax at least 14 days, but not longer than 12 month ahead, proof of treatment of internal and external parasites and proof of origin of herds free of any sicknesses. Namibian experts have pointed out that some of the diseases that must be tested have never been detected in Namibia’s Food-and-Mouth-Disease free areas. Strydom says the Meat Board conducted a study on the cost issues of the requirements and results show that it would place an “enormously high financial burden on Namibian farmers who are battling to recover from a debilitating drought”.
Dr. Schneider says all Namibian role players have been in constant discussions about the situation that is seen as life-threatening for the Namibian livestock export industry. He immediately raised objections at the DVS resulting in two urgent meetings with Dr Shoopala in cooperation with the Meat Board and the Animal Health Consultative Forum , where it was concluded that a grace period be provided by South Africa until March 7 to try and persuade the South African authorities in relaxing the proposed requirements as it will have devastating consequences for the Namibian export industry and local producers. It was then decided to call in the expertise of Schneider, who is an international veterinary consultant and OIE-accepted veterinary services assessor of AgriVET International, Namibia.
Dr Schneider has served for 42 years in the veterinary department of Namibia and inter alia held the post of Director of DVS and the Principle Secretary for Agriculture, Nature Conservation, Veterinary Services and Sea Fisheries. He also served the OIE as vice-president, as Africa president and immediate past-president. He was chairman of the OIE ad hoc group on evaluation of veterinary services, chairperson of the OIE ad hoc expert group on antimicrobial resistance, and member of the OIE ad hoc group on the evaluation of aquatic veterinary services.
Namibia exported a total of 389 205 live sheep and goats to South Africa last year, as well as 252 710 cattle and 35 424 pigs.
Dr Schneider says if these new requirements are to be implemented after the final round of discussions with their South African counterparts on March 7, it would result in a disastrous situation for Namibian producers. “The requirements for individual sheep are ludicrous and we can’t give the new rules a nod as we will shoot ourselves in the foot. There must be some way out of this and all our hopes are now on reaching an agreement to first postpone the proposed deadline and then discuss the other issues on March 7 at the meeting with South African authorities. Namibia is a net export country and its producers rely on the income from this valuable source,” he laments.