Poisoned beef floods market…buyers warned

Minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Perrance Shiri has warned people buying and selling meat from cattle affected by a tick-borne disease that they face arrest.

This follows reports circulating on social media suggesting that villagers are selling meat from cattle that would have died of January Disease which is also known as Theileriosis, to butcheries at cheap prices.

“The ministry received reports of villagers selling cattle affected by January Disease to local butcheries and I want to reiterate that the law will catch up with them soon,” said Minister Shiri.

“Both farmers and buyers of these cattle will be arrested and face the wrath of the law if caught so let them be warned and consider people’s health first.

Messages circulating on social media suggest that villagers in areas like Buhera in Manicaland province and Musana, Bindura in Mashonaland province lost their cattle to January Disease and are finding their markets to dispose of the meat. h metro