South Africa’s horse export industry is worth about R250 million. However, should the country be allowed to export horses directly to the EU and other destinations, this could easily reach R1 billion, says Adrian Todd, the managing director of the South African Equine Health and Protocols (SAEHP).
After South Africa failed an EU disease-prevention protocol audit in 2013, direct exports were banned, and horses now face an arduous process to reach international destinations. This has not only resulted in the loss of revenue for breeders and exporters, but has had a negative impact on South Africa’s horse industry as a whole, as the country’s horses cannot compete on the global stage.
A GREAT THREAT
The ban on direct exports was put in place in 2013 due to the threat of South African horses taking African horse sickness (AHS) abroad. South Africa has since implemented a world-class disease-prevention protocol, and has thus eliminated the threat of South African horses spreading AHS to other countries, but the EU has yet to audit the new protocol, and thus the ban remains in place, says Todd.
Despite movement control and diminishing the threat of AHS to horses abroad, it remains a great threat to the local horse population. A highly infectious disease, it is caused by the African horse sickness virus (AHSV), and is often fatal.
There are nine serotypes of the AHSV, all of which are endemic to South Africa. Horses, mules, donkeys and zebra are affected. However, horses are the most severely affected.
The AHS season runs from November to May, with the peak season between February and April. The virus is transmitted by the Culicoides midge.
AHS occurs in three main types: the lung form (dunkop), heart form (dikkop), and the mixed type.
Denne historien er fra December 06, 2019-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December 06, 2019-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
