An outbreak of the disease in February in parts of the eastern KwaZulu-Natal province prompted South Africa to impose a seven-week export ban on red meat.
But the World Organsiation for Animal Health has yet to end the South Africa's suspension as a foot-and-mouth free zone, meaning many parts of the world will not accept the country's meat.
The Red Meat Industry Forum said in filings to a parliamentary agriculture committee that the losses could total four billion rand ($490 million, 368 million euros) a year.
South Africa's agriculture minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson declared on 19 April that the outbreak was under control, but the industry group said that the government had yet to try to regain international certification.
"This loss of earnings can also be attributed to the department's inability to enforce and comply with the provisions of the Animal Disease Act," the group said in its filing to parliament.
Foot-and-mouth does not infect humans but is highly contagious and potentially deadly in cattle, goats, sheep and other cloven-hoofed animals.
Source: Sapa-AFP
For more than two decades, I-Net Bridge has been one of South Africa’s preferred electronic providers of innovative solutions, data of the highest calibre, reliable platforms and excellent supporting systems. Our products include workstations, web applications and data feeds packaged with in-depth news and powerful analytical tools empowering clients to make meaningful decisions.
We pride ourselves on our wide variety of in-house skills, encompassing multiple platforms and applications. These skills enable us to not only function as a first class facility, but also design, implement and support all our client needs at a level that confirms I-Net Bridge a leader in its field.
Go to: http://www.inet.co.za
