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Rabat – Morocco has ended the imports of feed grains from Germany, with operators attributing the decision to a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the European country.
Reuters quoted Omar Yacoubi, the head of Morocco’s grain trade federation, as saying the suspension concerns all “untreated plant-based” feed for animal consumption from Germany.
Meanwhile, converging reports suggest that the decision was recommended by Morocco’s National Office for Food Safety (ONSSA), following the outbreak of the disease in Germany.
But the move is temporary and will be lifted once the disease is tackled, according to the same reports. Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands in the English Channel near the French coast, has also banned meat and dairy products from Germany.
Last week, the BBC reported that imported products from different livestock, including pigs, sheep, cattle, and goats are prohibited. The World Organization for Animal Health defines FMDas a “severe and highly contagious viral disease” of livestock.
“The disease affects cattle, swine, sheep, goats, and other cloven-hoofed ruminants,” the organization said, describing it as also a transboundary animal disease.
FMD also affects the production of livestock. It is commonly due to an Aphthovirus and the prevention of such a disease lies in its early detection and warning systems.
