The continued spread of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) across KwaZulu-Natal is placing South Africa’s dairy sector under severe strain – threatening food security, processor capacity, international exports and the livelihoods of thousands within the value chain.
Earlier this week, the broader livestock industry, under the umbrella of the KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Union (Kwanalu), urgently called for the formal declaration of FMD as a provincial disaster.
According to David De Jager, CEO of Tip-Top Milk, one of South Africa’s largest raw milk logistics providers, the outbreak has already begun disrupting milk collection routes and limiting processor supply.
“When farms are quarantined inside Disease Management Areas, animals can’t move. It affects breeding cycles, which could lead to overstocking and spikes in production costs,” says De Jager.
Dairy relies on precision, predictability, and mobility – from farm milk storage tanks to processing plants; without free movement, processing slows, retail commitments falter, rural economies suffer, and the milk price fluctuates.
The SA dairy industry is a cornerstone of national food security, and this is under threat without strengthened collaborative intervention measures.
“We don’t have strong enough biosecurity protocols, there aren’t any vaccination programmes and the response time from government, in dealing with these outbreaks, has been slow,” says De Jager.
With permission from the state veterinarian, milk can be transported to a facility to be double pasteurised for human consumption. For exports of raw milk to neighbouring countries like Botswana and Eswatini, only raw milk from non-FMD areas is allowed.
“Last year, Eastern Cape processors were forced to pasteurize milk twice to meet safety standards – a measure that slashed processing capacity, increased compliance costs and stretched production to the limit. They’re only just recovering from that crisis, and now it’s starting to be a problem in KZN,” he says.
Aside from the local implications, De Jager stresses the devastating impact to international markets.
“We’ve had several international markets suspend imports of South African dairy and livestock products – and the reputational damage to our industry could take years to recover. It’s immeasurable,” says De Jager.
The urgency is mounting. With outbreaks now confirmed in large beef feedlots in Gauteng, the disease is spreading fast.
“If we don’t get this outbreak under control urgently, it won’t just affect farmers, farm workers and farming communities dependent on the industry. It will affect the entire supply chain – drivers, factory workers, logistics teams, and eventually consumers at the shelf,” De Jager warns.
As of 30 April, the World Organisation for Animal Health reported 167 outbreaks of FMD in KZN – 149 still active – with the epicentre in Amajuba District and spread now beyond the original Disease Management Areas. Unregulated animal movement, particularly in communal farming areas, continues to be a key driver.
This would unlock critical resources and allow for expanded vaccination programmes, better enforcement of livestock movement controls, support for permit offices and enforcement agencies, and enhanced traceability and communication infrastructure.
“We need a disaster declaration in order to open up the necessary funding and resources to implement a plan to combat the spread fast, in addition producers must be allowed to implement a precautionary vaccination plan, without penalty,” said Fanie Ferreira, CEO of the Milk Producers Organisation.
Leadership from the Milk Producers Organisation (MPO), the KZN Red Meat Producers Organisation, Wildlife Ranching SA, SAPPO, NWGA, and Kwanalu all support the disaster declaration, warning that the economic fallout could extend well beyond livestock.
“This is not business as usual. We’re committed to finding solutions, but we need the national government to act,” says Kwanalu President PJ Hassard.
Tip-Top Milk provides the Southern African dairy industry with milk logistic services and marketing of producers’ milk, while ensuring that the processes of collecting, sampling, testing, and delivering of this milk is timeous, safe and cost-effective for all.
For more information, visit www.tiptopfoodsgroup.co.za or follow Tip-Top Milk on Facebook, X or Instagram.