SA Dairy Hit by FMD; Losses Top R1 Billion
South Africa’s dairy sector is reeling from a widespread Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak, with losses already exceeding R1 billion as export markets tighten and production suffers. The highly contagious viral disease has been confirmed across all nine provinces, prompting neighbouring countries such as Zambia, Botswana and Namibia to restrict imports of South African milk and dairy products, choking regional trade and export demand.
Industry representatives, including Clover SA, say inconsistent and overly strict FMD control regulations are compounding the crisis by treating vaccinated milk as infected and imposing onerous export certification requirements — even for products like UHT milk that international standards consider safe. These regulatory barriers are adding unsustainable costs, reducing milk collection, and threatening jobs and food security across the value chain.
The Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) reports that more than 210,000 dairy animals on over 90 farms have been affected as of mid-January 2026, with economic losses per cow nearing R5,000 due to reduced milk yield, veterinary costs and husbandry expenses.
In response, the government has begun vaccinating livestock against FMD. A first shipment of one million high-potency vaccines — sourced from Argentina — has arrived, with an additional five million doses expected soon to bolster a broader immunisation campaign under a 10-year eradication strategy aimed at protecting more than 14 million cattle nationwide.
Experts warn that without rapid regulatory alignment with international science-based standards and clearer export protocols, South Africa’s dairy industry could face prolonged export losses, farm closures and deepening economic impacts in rural communities.
Source : Dairynews7x7 Feb 23rd 2026 Read full story here
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