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| National |
| Livestock ban to continue |
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by
Joseph Langa, 26 May 2003
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13:41:22
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Agriculture minister Chakufwa Chihana says the suspension of livestock and meat movement from Chikwawa in the Shire Valley ADD, which has been affected by foot and mouth disease, may take six months to lift if no new cases occur.
Chihana told Parliament last week, the livestock movement restriction order in the Shire Valley ADD was imposed to avoid further spread of the disease to other clean areas, mainly Blantyre ADD, which would have an impact on the dairy industry and export trade.
He said his ministry would need K6 million to conduct vaccinations in the affected areas and avoid a further spread of the disease, which has already affected more than 113 kraals in the district.
He said the vaccination will start at Jombo dip tank in the district where 6,000 heads of cattle are at risk of infection. Chihana, who is also second vice president, disputed recent press reports that 90 goats were thrown in Shire River, saying the ban is so far only confined to cattle.
“My ministry is spending K3 million to import the initial batch of vaccine and conduct the first vaccinations in the affected areas within two weeks. Disease surveillance and monitoring is going on and this quarantine order is expected to be in force until the animals are vaccinated and the situation stabilises. It may take up to six months for the suspension to be lifted as long as no new cases occur,” Chihana said.
According to Chihana, the ban has heavily affected meat availability in the country notably Blantyre which was getting 600 cattle (60,000 to 72,000 kg of beef) per month from the lower Shire most of it from the affected area.
Meanwhile, Chihana told Parliament that the country is expected to produce 1.9 million metric tonnes of maize against a national maize food requirement estimated at 1.938 million metric tonnes per annum.
He said the shortfall of 3,807 metric tonnes will be met by 223,500 tonnes of carry-over stocks, other food crops and production from winter cropping programme.
He said the production, which represents an increase of 22 percent, is mainly attributed to favourable weather, increased use of fertilizers and good quality seeds.
Chihana said apart from rice, the country has also registered an increase in the production of other crops like groundnuts, beans, pigeon peas, grams, cowpeas, field peas, ground beans, velvet beans and Soya beans, cotton, cassava, sweet potato and tobacco.
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