Zimbabwe enforces ban on SA animal products

The ban on the importation of all SA animal products into Zimbabwe is definitely being enforced by customs at the border posts, according to Lin Botha of Sediba Clearing and board member of the SA Association of Freight Forwarders (Saaff). This followed the ban imposed by Zimbabwe Revenue Association (Zimra) customs from March 30, after instructions from the Ministry of Agriculture, on all animal and animal products. It was because of a series of outbreaks of rift valley fever in the Gauteng, Eastern Cape and Free State Provinces. Saaff was advised that this restriction included: Milk in all forms (cheese, butter, yogurt, dried milk, dairy juices, ice-cream and chocolate); chickens, table eggs and hatching eggs; beef and pork products; salamis; pies; processed meats – including packeted and tinned stuff like canned beef, meat balls and Viennas – and fish. The ban is so tight, Botha told FTW, that a lot of products which bear only a slim resemblance to “animal products” are being stopped. “A lot of items that are really crazy options are included,” Botha added. Even milk products in transit via SA and Zimbabwe to their final destination have met with the heavy hands of border customs in Zimbabwe. Vufi Madzorera of Professional Clearing in Zimbabwe confirms that the customs ban is for sure. “They’re enforcing the ban, definitely,” she said. She also added that, if you want to see the effect of the ban, “just look at the supermarket shelves. There are no frozen chickens from SA there any more.”