A staff member displays foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines in Johannesburg, South Africa, Feb. 21, 2026. South Africa on Saturday received one million doses of high-potency FMD vaccines as part of efforts to curb recurring outbreaks, the Department of Agriculture said. (GCIS/Handout via Xinhua)

JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- South Africa on Saturday received one million doses of high-potency foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines as part of efforts to curb recurring outbreaks, the Department of Agriculture said.

The vaccines, sourced from Argentine pharmaceutical company Biogenesis Bago, mark the first batch of a phased national rollout, with an additional five million doses expected to arrive in March, according to the department.

"This small vial will be the beginning of us getting the red meat into markets around the world," Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen said while officially receiving the shipment of vaccine doses.

He noted that the vaccination drive would enable authorities to shift from reactive outbreak responses to proactive disease management and expressed confidence that the vaccination program would help contain the current outbreak.

South Africa has faced repeated FMD outbreaks in recent years, resulting in export restrictions and mounting pressure on livestock farmers.

According to a recent report by the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy, 24,400 FMD cases were reported in domestic livestock in 2025, significantly exceeding the previous 20-year-high of 7,700 cases recorded in 2022. The outbreaks have weighed heavily on the country's beef exports, which totaled 24,773 tons in the first 11 months of 2025, down from 38,677 tons during the same period in 2024. ■

South African Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen gives a media interview while officially receiving the shipment of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine doses in Johannesburg, South Africa, Feb. 21, 2026. South Africa on Saturday received one million doses of high-potency FMD vaccines as part of efforts to curb recurring outbreaks, the Department of Agriculture said. (GCIS/Handout via Xinhua)

Workers move foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines in Johannesburg, South Africa, Feb. 21, 2026. South Africa on Saturday received one million doses of high-potency FMD vaccines as part of efforts to curb recurring outbreaks, the Department of Agriculture said. (GCIS/Handout via Xinhua)