South Africa, June 2 -- Speaking at a media briefing in Parliament on Monday, 1 June, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen said maintaining export markets remained critical for supporting farm incomes, sustaining processing facilities and protecting jobs across the agricultural value chain.

Record vaccination programme underway South Africa's response to FMD has entered a new phase, with record vaccine acquisitions, intensified vaccination efforts and sustained engagement with international trading partners.

Since February, South Africa has procured 13.5 million doses of FMD vaccine and vaccinated nearly 4.4 million animals nationwide, making it the largest vaccine acquisition programme ever undertaken by the state.

A further 3.5 mil...