South Africa has taken a significant step in combating Foot-and-Mouth Disease, as Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen confirmed the arrival of a major shipment of vaccines aimed at protecting the country’s livestock industry and restoring global trade confidence.
The Department of Agriculture announced that two million doses of the FMD vaccine, sourced from Turkish manufacturer Dollvet, have officially arrived in South Africa. Distribution to provinces is expected to begin within days, marking the first phase of a larger six million dose order secured through local agents.
Building on this momentum, the government has also placed an additional order of five million doses from Argentina-based Biogénesis Bagó, in partnership with Onderstepoort Biological Products. The shipment is expected to arrive in two batches—3.5 million and 1.5 million doses—pending approval from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority.
Steenhuisen emphasized the urgency and scale of the intervention, stating “It needs to be made clear that the department has procured all matched vaccines currently available on the international market, and we have ensured that we have access to a steady supply. We will push forward to make sure that we achieve our goal – vaccinate the national herd to achieve World Organisation of Animal Health (WOAH) recognition of FMD-free status with vaccination. This will allow us to access international markets for South African red meat that have been closed for decades due to FMD,” said Steenhuisen.
To ensure an effective rollout, the Department of Agriculture is implementing a targeted vaccine allocation strategy based on scientific data, including animal risk levels and population figures. This approach aims to prioritise high-risk areas and maximise the impact of the vaccination campaign.
The large-scale vaccine rollout signals a decisive move by the government to contain the spread of FMD, safeguard food security, and reopen lucrative export markets. If successful, the initiative could mark a turning point for South Africa’s agricultural sector, offering renewed hope to farmers and boosting the country’s global competitiveness in red meat exports.
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