The Sunday News
Shepias Dube Farming Reporter
THE Bulawayo Agricultural Society’s future is hanging by a thread after business plummeted due to continued ban on cattle sales following the outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease six months ago. BAS collect the bulk of revenue from farmers and organisations that use the showgrounds to conduct cattle auctions. It used to collect at $6 000 a month from famers and organisations who held auctions at the showgrounds.
In an interview on Thursday, BAS administrative officer Mrs Natalie Adlam said the disease had devastating effects on the operations of the society as no sales were being conducted.
“The foot and mouth disease outbreak has had a devastating effect on the operations of the Bulawayo Agricultural Society as there have been no sales since the annual show in April 2015. Lack of sales means that the BAS has had little to no income, meaning that, in the very near future, staff cuts needs to be seriously considered if the society is to continue operating,” said Mrs Adlam.
Mrs Adlam said before the outbreak of the disease BAS used to net close to $6 000 a month from farmers and auctioneers using the show grounds. This means that the society could have lost close to $30 000 of potential revenue since the showgrounds were shut down six months ago.
She said the closure of the showgrounds was also affecting small-scale farmers who preferred the auction sales for its transparency and favourable prices.
“This also means that all small-scale and rural farmers cannot get top prices for their animals, which they sell in order to survive,” said Mrs Adlam.
She said the re-opening of the showgrounds sales won’t be happening anytime soon as the provincial veterinary officer Dr Polex Moyo has since indicated that the suspension on BAS to hold cattle sales will be reviewed after six months.
This means that only in February 2016 will the veterinary department consider if the BAS can have sales on the showgrounds.
Mrs Adlam said the ban of cattle at the showgrounds would also affect the 2016 cattle show at the Bulawayo Agriculture Show which is held concurrently with the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair.
“The 2016 cattle show is also in jeopardy as exhibitors need to know, by December 2015, if they can feed cattle for the show to be held in April 2016-therefore, February is too late to advise prospective exhibitors,” she said.
She said her organisation would continue engaging other stakeholders on how to deal with the FMD pandemic with a meeting already set for the end of the month.
