16 Aug 2016

The Francistown Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) abattoir will be open for slaughter for export to the European Union (EU) for cattle from zones 3C, 4B, 5, 6B, 8, 9, and parts of zone 10 with effect from August 18.

A press release from the Ministry of Agriculture says this follows a successful audit carried out in October last year by the EU to review the controls in zones 4A, 6B and 6B. 

The release says Francistown abattoir is surrounded by zone 6A hence the approval of zone 6B which qualifies it for export. 

However, the release says, zone 4A remains closed for the EU market pending resolution and realignment of the Makgadikgadi fence to make it a more effective barrier.

Thus, farmers in the said zones are urged to make necessary arrangements to make their animals compliant for the EU market, including ear tagging them and updating the system, keeping the necessary records as well as getting the necessary quotas from BMC.

Farmers are  urged to liaise with  nearest veterinary and BMC offices for more information on compliance of their holdings for the EU market. ENDS