Livestock vaccine shortage leads to concerns over food security
The Red Meat Producers Organisation (RPO) has warned that a shortage of vaccines for livestock could threaten food security.
Chairperson James Faber, says the state-run Onderstepoort Biological Products in Pretoria has not been able to keep up with the demand for vaccines.
Faber says the delay in the production of vaccines for sheep and cattle has caused serious losses to producers.
"The OBP is the only producer of African horse sickness and Rift Valley fever vaccines, as well as vaccines for bluetongue disease, which mostly affects sheep and cattle.
"Outdated and broken manufacturing equipment has led to constant delays in the production of these vaccines.
"Commercial and emerging producers are now suffering serious losses due to bluetongue outbreaks, which cause up to 50% mortality among herds, and African horse sickness among horses and donkeys."
The shortages include vaccines for African Horse sickness and dosages to fight bluetongue disease to prevent sheep from dying. Faber says various organisations are in discussions with the government.
"The minister has set up a committee to look at this at the end of April but that committee hasn't even come together since the end of April, but we are in conversation with the whole structure of government."
