Govt wants to resume exporting livestock products

Zimbabwe was negotiating the resumption of livestock product exports to South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique following the outbreak of the foot-and-mouth disease in August, the 'Daily News' reported on Monday. Dr Stuart Hargreaves, director of Veterinary Services, said the negotiations on the export of livestock products, which included canned meat, were still under way. The foot-and-mouth disease was first diagnosed in Zimbabwe on 18 August. The European Union (EU), which receives 9,100 mts of beef from Zimbabwe, had suspended its orders, the report said. "We are now doing our second round of vaccinations on some 150 000 cattle in the affected areas of Bulawayo, West Nicholson, Lupane and Beitbridge and we have not had any fresh outbreak of the disease," Hargreaves was quoted as saying. He said, however, that it was too early to say whether the disease had been eradicated although the control measures were "very encouraging". He said if the situation continued to improve, then by the end of December, Zimbabwe would apply for the resumption of beef exports to the EU.