EU Temporarily Suspends Namibian Meat Imports After Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak

email facebook linkedin twitter Whatsapp The European Union suspended imports of fresh Namibian beef, sheep and goat meat after a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak spread to 11 farms in the Kharas region. The EU represents Namibia’s largest beef export market, absorbing more than 80% of the country’s overseas beef sales. The suspension could put nearly 300 million Namibian dollars ($18 million) in monthly export revenue at risk and affect thousands of jobs linked to European sales. The European Union suspended access to its market for fresh meat from Namibia on October 5 after the country reported a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

The decision affects fresh beef, sheep and goat meat, as well as certain processed meat products from Namibia. The EU introduced the temporary restriction after Namibia detected a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak on September 23 in the Karasburg veterinary district, located in the Kharas region.