Zambia slams door on SA cattle — imports and transit banned amid foot-and-mouth outbreak

cattle

Pretoria – Zambia has reportedly banned and suspended all livestock imports and transit from South Africa with immediate effect due to the ongoing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak.

According to reports, the measures cover cloven-hoofed animals, trophies, skins, hides, hooves, animal feed, and most dairy products, and all previously issued permits have been revoked.

Zambia’s Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, through its Veterinary Services Department led by Dr. Charles Maseka, said the measures will be reviewed as the outbreak progresses, EWN reported.

“Our Department of Veterinary Services, led by our Director, Dr Charles Maseka, has since announced the following measures: all issued permits are revoked with immediate effect, the report quoted the ministry as saying.


“We wish to inform members of the public, farmers, and all our stakeholders that these precautionary measures will be reviewed depending on the progression of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in South Africa.”

The outbreak, declared a national disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa, has hit South Africa’s beef industry hard.

FMD has spread to seven of nine provinces, contributing to a 26% drop in beef exports in 2025 and a 69% decline in shipments to China after Beijing imposed a ban.

According to Business Day, in response, South Africa has begun vaccinating 80% of its 12-million-strong national herd, importing vaccines from Botswana, Türkiye, and Argentina to contain the disease and stabilize the livestock sector.

Zambia’s ban is part of urgent steps to protect its livestock industry from the highly contagious disease.

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