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The People's Republic of China announced a ban on the import of all cloven-hoofed animals and their products from South Africa.
Cape Wool SA says this is due to the recent outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in the Northwest Province, Kwazulu-Natal and Limpopo.
This announcement has had a massive impact on many industries in South Africa that export large volumes of products to China.
The General Manager for Cape Wools Deon Saayman says China imports 80% of the wool produced in South Africa generating some R6 billion of export revenue per year.
He says at the moment there is a shipment of wool in China that has not yet been cleared valued at R300 million and wool already purchased and paid for by buyers in SA, waiting to be exported is R700 million.
"The importance of the SA wool industry cannot be overemphasized, as it supports around 40 000 communal and 8 000 commercial farmers, their families, and their dependents, as
well as the farm workers employed within the industry," he added.
Saayman says that although there are no Foot and Mouth cases in the Eastern Cape, the Chinese government is concerned about the resultant spread of the disease.
He says they have been down this road before in 2019 when exports of wool were banned for eight months and they complied with all requirements from China and do not believe that there is a valid reason to include the wool industry in the ban.
Wool Auctions have been postponed in the interim until more clarity can be obtained from the Chinese authorities on the duration and exact nature of the ban introduced in their announcement
of 1 April.
