The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) is considering applying to have the Department of Agriculture’s animal health division placed under administration because of inefficiencies which are harming South Africa’s poultry producers.
The failings cited by the DA include failure to ensure the availability of bird flu vaccines, complicated and expensive requirements for vaccine applications and a severe shortage of veterinarians.
“It has been almost six months since the outbreak of Avian Influenza, but the government has yet to finalise procurement of the necessary vaccines for farmers,” the party said in a statement.
The DA’s agriculture spokesperson, Noko Masipa, detailed the complex arrangements on which the department was insisting and the lack of response to its requests for government support for poultry farmers.
If the necessary aid was not forthcoming by the end of November, Masipa said, the DA would request the presidency to place the animal health division under administration for failing to provide the necessary phytosanitary support measures to farmers.
“The proposed administration of the animal health department will include private sector involvement in managing animal diseases and animal movement control which if not attended, stands to have a detrimental impact on food security in this country,” Masipa said.
