Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen said millions of additional foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine doses arrived to bolster South Africa's national stockpile.
These shipments are critical for the containment of FMD in high-risk areas. The government is working to maintain vaccination targets following a High Court ruling that limited state control over how vaccines are procured.
According to reports from April 2026, the national supply was increased by 2 million doses sourced from Turkey [3, 4]. A subsequent report indicated a further shipment of 3.5 million doses arriving from Argentina via Biogénesis Bagó [1].
These combined efforts have increased the available resources for livestock protection. Following the shipment from Argentina, the total national stockpile reached 13.5 million doses [1].
Steenhuisen said the goal is to ensure a constant stream of vaccines to protect the agricultural sector. This strategy includes a voluntary vaccination scheme to solidify the pipeline and mitigate the risk of outbreaks that could devastate the livestock industry [5].
The procurement of these doses from multiple international sources, including Turkey and Argentina, allows the ministry to diversify its supply chain. This approach helps the state bypass procurement bottlenecks and ensures that high-risk zones receive priority treatment to prevent the spread of the virus.
“The total national stockpile reached 13.5 million doses.”
The diversification of vaccine sources from Turkey and Argentina indicates a strategic shift by the South African government to secure livestock health independently of previous procurement constraints. By increasing the stockpile to 13.5 million doses, the state is attempting to preemptively manage FMD outbreaks that could lead to severe trade restrictions and economic losses for the national agricultural industry.
