South Africa’s beef industry under pressure due to FMD outbreak

Photo: The Herald

South Africa’s Department of Agriculture has confirmed a new outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) on a commercial farm in Moqhaka Local Municipality, near Kroonstad in the Free State. The farm was placed under quarantine on 8 July after livestock exhibited clinical symptoms and positive test results were confirmed.

As of July 2025, a staggering 270 outbreaks across five provinces have been recorded, with 249 still unresolved. KwaZulu-Natal remains the most affected, reporting 191 outbreaks (172 active), followed by the Eastern Cape (40), Gauteng (32), North West (4), and Mpumalanga (3).

According to Africa Farming, immediate containment measures included enhanced surveillance and vaccinations around the infected property and a 10 km radius. Traceback investigations are ongoing to pinpoint the source of infection.

In response to the escalating outbreak, the government has ordered over 900,000 vaccine doses from the Botswana Vaccine Institute, valued at approximately R70 million. Vaccinations are underway in high-risk areas. Additionally, plans to upgrade local vaccine production at Onderstepoort are in motion.

The outbreak has prompted import bans by trade partners, including Botswana, Namibia, China, and Zimbabwe, putting pressure on South Africa’s beef industry.