20 May 2013

Molopo farmers have been cautioned against soliciting veterinary services from doctors from outside the country.

The Ministry of Agriculture’s assistant spokesperson for Kgalagadi, Ms Dimpho Goitsemodimo said the move was illegal and could attract penalties. She urged Molopo farmers to report any suspicions of diseases rather than trying to administer vaccines themselves

Reporting such cases, she said, was important for statistical purposes. Farmers were also encouraged to register their farms in order to reap benefits such as a chance to export to international markets and make more profit.

In response, farmers cited shortage of veterinary officers in the region as one of their core challenges. They said the two available officers were not enough to service them, adding that their Hereford region was home to more than 70 000 cattle.

Farmers also claimed that their cattle had not been inserted with boluses due to shortage of transport for the veterinary officers. The meeting was meant to foster good working relationships between the Molopo Farmers’ Association and the Ministry of Agriculture. ENDS