Staff Reporter
MEATCO Interim Chief Executive Officer Albertus !Aochamub has called for continued discipline, cooperation and reliance on verified information as surveillance continues following the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in the Karasburg State Veterinary District.
!Aochamub said the latest surveillance results, which indicate that confirmed cases remain geographically confined to the Karasburg State Veterinary District, provide important information for the livestock and meat industry, while stressing that the 14-day incubation period is still ongoing.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has intensified traceability, clinical examinations and sampling following the outbreak, with the latest results expected to inform decisions on the gradual easing of restrictions.
“Some answers will only become clearer as surveillance progresses and the relevant authorities engage with our trading partners,” !Aochamub said.
“What matters now is that we respond to verified information, avoid speculation and allow the established veterinary processes to work.”
He said Meatco’s immediate responsibility was to cooperate fully with veterinary authorities, protect the integrity of Namibia’s beef value chain and support efforts to bring the outbreak under control.
The latest update follows the confirmation of FMD in the //Kharas Region and nationwide veterinary restrictions on the movement, marketing, slaughter and trade of cloven-hoofed animals and their raw products.
!Aochamub said the industry had built access to some of the world’s most demanding beef markets through decades of investment in animal health, traceability, food safety and credible veterinary controls.
“Moments such as this remind us that protecting that reputation requires the collective effort of Government, producers, processors, employees and every participant in the livestock value chain,” he said.
He acknowledged that the outbreak had raised questions about its implications for producers, Meatco’s operations and Namibia’s export markets, but said some of those issues would only become clearer as surveillance continued and veterinary authorities engaged with trading partners.
For Meatco, he said the focus remained on maintaining the integrity of its operations and supporting the livestock value chain during the disruption.
“Behind these developments are farmers, employees, businesses and rural communities whose livelihoods depend on the sector,” he said.
!Aochamub said the livestock industry had navigated difficult periods before and called for cooperation and compliance while the veterinary response continues.
“Our industry has navigated difficult periods before. The priority now is cooperation, compliance and protecting the long-term integrity of Namibia’s livestock and beef industry,” he said.
He said Meatco would continue working with the veterinary authorities as the situation develops.
“Let the science guide us, let vigilance prevail and let us continue working together to protect Namibia’s livestock industry and the livelihoods it sustains,” !Aochamub said.
Photo: File
