MEDIA RELEASE
FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE (FMD) SITUATION
(for immediate release)
The FMD outbreak comes at a time when the industry is suffering from a country-wide drought. Feed and maize prices have escalated and the consumer’s purchasing power is under pressure. This is in the midst of a herd rebuilding phase after the 2016 drought. All these factors put the producers’ cash flow and financial survival under pressure. All these factors represent a challenge to the mission of the RPO which is based on the facilitation of a competitive and sustainable red meat environment for the producer.
In the previous year (January to December 2018) a total of 29 180 tonne beef has been exported, which represents 4,02% of local production. The market value of these exports amounts to R1 790 918 024-73. During the same period 701.2-tonne sheep meat has been exported at a value of R43 164 652-36, representing 0.69% of the local production. 16 474 815 sheepskins to the value of R594 182 260-36 and 8 552 648 kg of hides to the value of R102 445 668, were exported.
