Neighbours ban SA poultry imports
THE Avian influenza outbreak in some parts of South Africa – in Mpumalanga and the Free State – has resulted in four neighbouring countries banning poultry imports from the rainbow nation.
Namibia yesterday became the latest country to ban South African chickens – live and uncooked -- following last week’s outbreak of the H5N8 strain of bird flu at two South African poultry farms.
Windhoek followed Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, along with Zambia, which had already halted its imports. The countries are net importers of South African chickens that are mostly sold in Pick n Pay supermarkets and other small retailers because of their low prices.
A new case of the highly contagious bird flu – South Africa’s second – had been confirmed at a farm in Val in Standerton.
The Department of Agriculture‚ Forestry and Fisheries said the virus was the same strain as the initial case reported on a poultry breeder farm near Villiers in the Free State last week but that the two farms were not linked‚ meaning that the latest case was a separate introduction.
A ban on the sale of live poultry is in place for the department to assess the extent of the outbreak.
It was, however, business as usual for chicken traders opposite the busy Pan Africa mall in Alexandra‚ northern Johannesburg‚ yesterday despite the ban.
A street vendor, whose sole income comes from selling chickens‚ said: “The outbreak is scary. My livelihood depends on this.”
Another live-chicken supplier was concerned that he might have to lay off his sellers.