Zambia has imposed an immediate ban on all livestock and related products from South Africa, citing biosecurity risks linked to a fast-spreading outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). The suspension was announced by Zambia’s Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, which revoked all existing import permits. Ministry spokesperson Benny Munyama said the move was necessary to prevent the highly contagious animal disease from entering Zambia.
The decision follows South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s declaration of FMD as a national disaster, after cases were confirmed in all nine provinces. Quarantine measures have been imposed at affected farms, including in the Western and Northern Cape provinces. Ramaphosa described the situation as one of the worst FMD outbreaks in the country’s history and announced the formation of a joint task team of farmers, veterinarians and government experts to monitor containment efforts and report monthly.
South Africa has launched a large-scale vaccination campaign targeting about 14 million cattle over the next year, requiring an estimated 28 million vaccine doses. Vaccines are being sourced from Botswana, Türkiye and Argentina, while local producer Onderstepoort increases domestic output. The outbreak has already hit South Africa’s beef sector hard, with exports to China dropping sharply after Beijing imposed an import ban. Zambia’s restrictions go beyond live animals to include livestock feed, skins, hides, trophies and cloven-hoofed animal products such as dairy, unless strict mitigation measures are applied. Transit of live animals through Zambia from South Africa has also been suspended. Zambian authorities said the ban will be reviewed depending on how effectively South Africa brings the outbreak under control.
