South Africa’s beef exports fell 26% in 2025, marking one of the sector’s most difficult years in decades, as widespread foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks disrupted trade and triggered a major import ban from China.
The disease resurfaced early in 2025 and has since spread to seven of the country’s nine provinces. The outbreak prompted Beijing to impose a ban on South African beef imports in May, causing shipments to China, previously the country’s third-largest export market, to plunge by nearly 70%.
Before the ban, China ranked behind the United Arab Emirates and Jordan as a key buyer of South African beef. The sudden loss of this high-volume market has intensified pressure on farmers already struggling with rising production costs.
Farmers report significant financial strain as they attempt to contain infections and protect herds. Higher feed prices, increased veterinary expenses and reduced output have squeezed margins across the industry.
Infected cattle often eat less and lose weight, affecting both beef yields and dairy production. Some farmers say they have used years’ worth of veterinary supplies within weeks, a pace that smaller operations may not be able to sustain.
There are also concerns that prolonged outbreaks could reduce the national herd, potentially driving up domestic food prices.
The government has pledged to vaccinate 80% of the country’s estimated 12 million cattle in an effort to curb the outbreak. On 6 February, authorities released the first locally produced foot-and-mouth vaccine in two decades, a milestone for domestic capacity.
However, supply remains insufficient. South Africa still relies heavily on imported vaccines from Botswana, Türkiye and Argentina, leaving disease control efforts vulnerable to supply constraints and higher costs.
Agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo noted that the timing of the outbreak is particularly damaging, as limited domestic vaccine production slows containment efforts and prolongs trade restrictions.
South Africa is one of Africa’s leading beef exporters, and disruptions in its production affect trade flows across the region. With strong global demand for beef, particularly in Asia and the Middle East, the country has potential to recover lost ground.
However, sustained export growth will depend on fully controlling the outbreak, restoring buyer confidence and strengthening long-term animal health systems. The crisis underscores a broader challenge for emerging markets: building resilient agricultural infrastructure in the face of disease risks, climate pressures and increasingly interconnected global trade.
South Africa launches local foot-and-mouth vaccine as infections spread
