BMC resumes EU beef exports after a 12-day ban :: Mmegi Online

The Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) yesterday resumed the slaughtering of animals after the government lifted a 12-day ban on the movement of cloven-hoofed animals and their products within Zone 11.

Beef exports to the European Union (EU) and trading partners were suspended following the spotting of a buffalo, which is considered to be the a carrier of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), at Moreane in Lotlhakane East, Southern District. The lifting of the ban means that BMC will resume beef exports to the EU, which had been suspended following the ban. BMC spokesperson, Brian Dioka told BusinessWeek that the commission has already started buying livestock from farmers that are meant to be slaughtered for the EU market.

“We are going to work very hard to increase our quota and make up for the days that the abattoir has been closed,” he said. The commission, whose Lobatse abattoir had seen a lull for the past two weeks, has been losing throughput of cattle that could have been slaughtered in the 12 days of closure.

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