The National Emergent Redmeat Producers Organisation (NERPO) is calling for the lifting of the moratorium on Livestock Public Auctions and described this action by the Minister as an economic catastrophe to the emerging livestock farmers.

This follows the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) gazetting, of a national ban on the gathering of cloven-hoofed animals, including livestock auctions on the 4th December 2019.

According to the MD of NERPO, Mr Aggrey Mahanjana, the damage that has been caused by the ban is too ghastly to contemplate. “We wish to make a clarion call to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Ms Thoko Didiza to immediately lift the national ban on livestock public auction, as it has adverse effect on the state of agriculture and on the emerging farmers in particular.”

“More than 90% of the emerging farmers, use livestock public auction as only livestock marketing channel and price determining mechanism.
Since the ban which happened during the month of December 2019, proceeding to 2020 January, farmers whose livelihood depends on the livestock are facing a devastating future. During the month of January each year most rural community, depends on

Mr Mahanjana believes that the ban is too drastic and has unintended consequences. The industry and the department must come up with a solution that controls the movement of animals and that system must include livestock identification and traceability system.

He believes that it is now the time to implement the traceability system in South Africa on a national scale. “After, all we have been advocating for this system of traceability over the past 10 years.

He concluded by saying that South Africa cannot afford to risk the income of millions of households that depends on livestock. Black emerging farmers eke out their livelihood on the livestock to fend for their families during these economic hardships.

Source: NERPO