Anticipating FMD, Babel Provincial Government Temporarily Stops Livestock Supply From East Java And Aceh

Illustration/Photo: Antara

PANGKALPINANG - The Provincial Government of the Bangka Belitung (Babel) Islands has temporarily suspended the supply of cattle, buffalo, and goats from East Java and Aceh, in order to prevent the spread of the foot and mouth disease (FMD) virus.

"We have to stop the importation of livestock from East Java and Aceh, because these two provinces have been plagued by FMD," said the Head of Livestock and Animal Health at the Department of Agriculture and Food Security of the Babel Archipelago Province, Junaidy in Pangkalpinang, Babel, Saturday.

He said the cessation of the importation or supply of livestock from the provinces of East Java and Aceh was based on the Decree of the Governor of the Bangka Belitung Islands, in order to prevent and suppress the transmission of the FMD virus in this area.

"The cessation of the importation of livestock from areas infected with FMD is a form of vigilance by the regional government in dealing with the spread of this FMD virus," he said.

According to him, in optimizing the policy of stopping the importation of livestock from areas infected with FMD, his party has coordinated with the Agricultural Quarantine Center at the entrances of livestock in Bangka and Belitung islands.

"Currently, to meet the needs of the community's beef cattle, we still rely on supplies from outside the region, because the availability of local farmers' cattle is still lacking and in the development stage," he said.

Head of the Pangkalpinang Agricultural Quarantine Center Saifuddin Zuhri supports the local government's policy to stop the importation of livestock from East Java and Aceh.

"With this policy, we will refuse the entry of livestock from areas infected with the FMD virus and this is in accordance with the BKP's task, which is to monitor the traffic and import of livestock from outside the region at the livestock entry gates," he said.