HESSEQUA NEWS - The horse industry is a multi-million rand export industry in the Western Cape and must at all costs be protected against African Horse Sickness.
Pienaar du Plessis, owner of Saruk, who breeds Arabian horses at Riversdale, Stilbaai and Herbertsdale, has been exporting horses to Dubai since 1998. "We are at a major disadvantage compared to other countries that can export a horse within two weeks. It takes at least five months to get a horse from Cape Town to Dubai, which includes quarantine periods in Cape Town (21 days), Mauritius (90 days) and Europe (21 days), as well as Dubai (at least 14 days).
A top fit horse that leaves South Africa has to be trained from scratch before it can race in Dubai."
Transport is also very costly at about R500 000 per horse, while the average price of an export horse is only R350 000.
"Looking at the bigger picture, it is of major importance to protect our industry from possible infection. Although AHS is not a major problem in our part of the Western Cape, horses from all over the country are allowed to be brought in since our area does not form part of the protected zone any more.
"If vigilance is maintained, it could eventually lead to the European Union allowing us to directly export our horses to their destinations. However, during the past 21 years, we have only been able to do so for about four years."
Beverley Schäfer, Minister of Economic Opportunities, on Wednesday 10 April said the current movement restrictions into the Western Cape were an example of the successful control systems at work in protecting the integrity of our AHS controlled zones.
"By unlocking equine exports, we will be able to grow a valuable sector of our agricultural economy and ensure that the horse industry is able to grow and create more jobs in the province. I appeal to all horse owners to comply with all the movement control regulations," she said.
As AHS is endemic to South Africa and the province has the only protection zone, the Western Cape Government Veterinary Services, the South African Equine Health and Protocols (SAEHP) and the national Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (DAFF), are committed to maintaining compliance with international disease control standards (vaccination), movement control and surveillance.
The magisterial districts of Riversdale, Heidelberg, Mossel Bay, George, Knysna, Uniondale, Oudtshoorn, Ladismith, Calitzdorp, Laingsburg, Beaufort West, Prince Albert, Murraysburg, Van Rhynsdorp and Vredendal have been excluded from the AHS Protection Zone.
Protection Zone
The new, smaller AHS Protection Zone comprises the magisterial districts of Clanwilliam, Piketberg, Ceres, Tulbagh, Robertson, Montagu, Caledon, Hermanus, Bredasdorp and Swellendam.
The new entry/exit points on the main routes are: N7 between Clanwilliam and Klawer at Trawal; N1 between Touwsriver and Matjiesfontein; N2 between Swellendam and Heidelberg.
For more information on the movement of horses into the Western Cape, contact move@myhorse.org.za and for regulation in general, go to http://www.nhra.co.za.
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