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 "We are hardest hit as there is literally no fresh meat or even processed ones. There is nothing," lamented Baganetswe. He added that currently their freezers only contain dressed chickens. He was worried that they do not have fresh and processed milk. "We don't know how long this is going to take and we continue to lose out as our butchery and dairy products' fridges are literally dry. We continue to plead with our regular customers to bear with us under the circumstances," he said. At the Senn Foods depot in Francistown, Fresh meat manager, Phineas Rammai said yesterday that they are failing to adequately supply their customers. "I can roughly estimate that we have lost business of about 60 percent or so as we have for more than a week been failing to supply our clients with fresh and processed meat," he said. He revealed that Senn Foods continue to depend on boneless frozen meat but this does not meet the requirements of their market. Since processed meat comes from their main plant in Gaborone, the restrictions in the movement of livestock and products mean that nothing has been supplied to the Francistown branch. Since the outbreak of FMD in the Bobirwa area, Senn Foods has not supplied its clients in Palapye, Orapa, Maun and Kasane. Managing director of Meriting Spar Supermarket, Archie Mbakile told Mmegi yesterday that he wishes the government could lift restrictions on movement of cattle and meat products fast. "The outbreak of FMD has caught us unawares and we don't have anything in store as stockpiled supplies. We are badly affected," Mbakile said. He felt bad for those who depend on dairy products like cheese and fresh milk. "We are obviously waiting for the government's final decision and to see what this will lead to. We are only hoping that the decision will be positive." Consumers have been making inquiries at the supermarket demanding to know when the dairy products from other parts of the city would reach Francistown. "Our consumers that depend on dairy products are in real trouble. The local everyday consumer is hardest hit just to appease the beef industry that exports to the EU markets." UNDP economist, Sennye Obuseng, speaking in his personal capacity, recently expressed concern about the socio-economic impact of the FMD, opts to cull livestock. Unless the imposed restrictions are relaxed today, as promised by the government, then the whole thing could have negative effects on the socio-economic sphere. Livestock play a crucial role in the lives of Batswana. Traditionally, Batswana slaughter cattle at social gatherings like wedding parties, funerals, celebrations and others. In some instances, some tribal groupings insist that the payment of lobola should be made using live animals. With the current restrictions in place, it means fulfilling such requirements is difficult. Some Batswana that do not believe in extravagant funerals, have a fear that they may have to spend a lot of money in the interim buying beef to feed the mourners, especially that people are unable to move their animals from one veterinary zone to another. Across the country, Batswana keep their domesticated animals in cattleposts or lands, far away from the villages, towns or cities. The government is expected to come up with a clear position today, if the animals living in the red zone will be culled or vaccinated against the contagious FMD.
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