In a bid to open borders for poultry products into the country, a task team left Lesotho for Eswatini this week to study how the latter exports poultry products.

The Press Attaché said this in the Prime Minister’s, Mr. Thapelo Mabote in an interview with the Agency, following meetings that were held between poultry farmers, the Prime Minister and other relevant Ministers after farmers petitioned the Prime Minister about the ban on poultry products from South Africa into the country.

Mr. Mabote said the task team, which is made up of farmers and senior government officials, went to Eswatini to study the costs, and processes that must be followed to import poultry products such as hatched eggs, chicks and chicken as well as to analyse if they are of good quality amongst others.

He therefore noted that they are expected to give feedback when they return from Eswatini and map the way forward.

Mr. Mabote said the decision to visit Eswatini was reached after farmers and the government agreed that it would be impossible to import poultry from South Africa as she has been placed on the red colour by the World Organisation of Animal Health of which Lesotho is a member and has to comply.

He said farmers were also given an option to import poultry from Brazil but declined because it would be expensive hence, they resolved to try in Eswatini or Zambia.

Meanwhile, South Africa was hit by bird flu in October this year and the government has since banned the importation of poultry from SA into the country.

However, reports from the South African Department of Agriculture indicate that South Africa’s worst bird flu outbreak is now under control and 70% of farms that were not infected continue to produce eggs and chickens.

Source: LENA 20/12/2023