Staff Reporter
THE Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in Namibia is beginning to affect red meat availability, with some retailers reporting depleted stocks as consumers rush to buy meat amid concerns over possible shortages, while meat processors adjust operations as livestock movement and trade restrictions take effect.
A supermarket in central Walvis Bay has run out of red meat following the announcement of the FMD outbreak, with its butchery currently selling only pork till stocks last.
The situation is also being influenced by increased stock buying, as some customers stock up on red meat amid uncertainty over how the outbreak and nationwide restrictions will affect supplies.
In Windhoek, Beefcor has advised customers that its Academia retail outlet is running low on stock and has directed customers to its Northern Industrial outlet for meat products.
Beefcor’s Factory Outlet in Okahandja also remains open, with the company saying it will work closely with the relevant government authorities and comply with all required protocols.
The company said it would provide updates as new information becomes available and encouraged customers to follow its social media pages for further developments.
Savanna Beef Processors, a producer-owned beef processor and abattoir operator, is also facing potential disruption to livestock procurement and meat processing following the detection of FMD within Namibia’s internationally recognised FMD-free zone.
Meanwhile, a photograph taken at a supermarket in Swakopmund showed significantly reduced meat stocks in the store’s meat section.
The developments follow nationwide restrictions introduced by the Directorate of Veterinary Services after FMD was detected in the Karasburg State Veterinary District in the //Kharas Region.
The restrictions include the suspension of the movement, marketing and trade of cloven-hoofed animals and their raw products, as well as their import, export and transit.
The measures have also affected livestock auctions and other agricultural activities as the authorities work to contain the outbreak.
Photo: Contributed
