South Africa is grappling with a severe and worsening foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak, prompting the agriculture ministry to intensify efforts by building up vaccine stocks and expanding inoculation programs. This highly contagious viral infection, which primarily affects cloven-hoofed animals but can also impact other species, has seen flare-ups reported in five provinces. KwaZulu-Natal has been identified as the most severely affected region by these ongoing outbreaks.

The escalating FMD crisis poses a significant threat to the nation's beef supplies. A notable development this week was an outbreak reported at Karan Beef, which operates the country's largest feedlot and one of the world's biggest. The facility, located in Heidelberg, approximately 50km southeast of Johannesburg, has been placed under quarantine. This measure is expected to have considerable repercussions, as the feedlot slaughters around 2,000 cattle daily, potentially leading to disruptions in beef availability.

In response to the escalating situation, the South African government is taking decisive action. More than 900,000 doses of FMD vaccines have been ordered, with the initial batch anticipated to arrive as early as next week. The agriculture ministry emphasized that these measures are part of a broader strategy, stating on Thursday, “These plans are not only about responding to outbreaks but also about building permanent infrastructure to manage future risks.” This highlights a commitment to long-term biosecurity.

The agricultural sector, particularly cattle producers, is feeling the strain of the FMD outbreaks. There are growing calls from some producers for the government to declare a “state of disaster.” Such a declaration would grant the government additional powers to intervene directly in the crisis, aiming to protect the industry from substantial financial losses. The economic impact is already being felt, as the FMD outbreaks have led to bans on South African beef and related products in important export markets, including China, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.

This FMD crisis comes at a time when South Africa's livestock sector is still recovering from another significant animal health challenge: its worst avian flu outbreak in 2023. That outbreak resulted in the destruction of approximately one-third of the national chicken flock. Demonstrating a proactive stance against such diseases, the government also announced on Thursday the commencement of the first mass vaccination program for poultry. This initiative is designed to prevent a recurrence of high-pathogenic avian influenza, a rapidly spreading bird flu variant with a high mortality rate in infected flocks.