‘Animal feed imported by STC safe for farmers to use’   |28 September 2023

(L to r) Mr Philo, PS Nancy and Dr Melanie during the press conference

The Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment has said that the batch of animal feed imported by the Seychelles Trading Company (STC) among which some contain Zinc Bacitracin – an antibiotic and growth promoter – are safe for farmers to give to their livestock.

The ministry however said it will ensure that the above mentioned antibiotic is not present in the next batch to be imported given that it is against the ministry’s regulations to import animal feed that contain antibiotic.

It was the principal secretary for Agriculture, Keven Nancy, who made the statement yesterday afternoon at the department’s headquarters, Espace Building.

Also present at the press conference were the chief animal health and livestock officer, Rodney Philo and the principal veterinary officer, Dr Jimmy Melanie.

PS Nancy’s statement follows an open letter from Ferox Feed, a local animal feed manufacture, that the animal feed imported by STC from AFGRI in South Africa contains Zinc Bacitracin, the growth promoters in livestock farming which has been banned in many developed countries, such as the EU in 2007 (Bacitracin 2009), the USA in 2017, and China in 2020.

The letter further stated that the reason for the ban practices is the concern over the transfer of trace amounts of antibiotics into the natural environment during farming processes and/or into the human food chain when the final products are consumed. This transfer can contribute to developing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), which affects livestock and/or humans.

“We want to assure the famers and the public that we will take corrective measures so that no animal feed containing Zinc Bacitracin are imported again in the country,” said PS Nancy, who noted that the reason the ministry has said that the animal feed are safe to use is because the 15% of the antibiotic present in the feed is an international norm for use in the rearing of livestock.

PS Nancy said that the imported animal feed were not supposed to contain Zinc Bacitracin but they only learned about its presence during their routine inspection at the store at Providence where it was labelled on some of the consignments.

He added that they quickly reverted to the supplier who confirmed that the antibiotic Zinc Bacitracin (15%) has been added in certain feed imported into Seychelles by the department and STC.

He further added that the supplier stated that a batch with the antibiotic were being prepared for another country and given our market share part of the batch was loaded for our local market.

“We will be sending a team to South Africa where the feed is being manufactured to ensure that the antibiotic does not form part of production to make sure that farmers have what they are buying and just to remove the doubt out there that the next consignment contain antibiotics in the feed. The Agriculture department has already taken corrective action to ensure that future consignments shipped to Seychelles do not contain such product, based on the concerns raised by our main stakeholders,” said PS Nancy, who noted that the department is very much devoted to providing affordable animal feed for the farmers.

PS Nancy said that although the country has no legislation with regard to animal feed quality, our national law for food and feed safety refers to the international standards developed by the Procedural Manual (PM) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission which states that Zinc Bacitracin is not featured as a banned antibiotic under CODEX. However, he added that as a precaution against possible accumulation of the antibiotic in the body over long period of time the ministry does not allow for importation of animal feed containing Zinc Bacitracin.

With regard to concerns from farmers about the presence also of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) in animal feed, PS Nancy said GMO crops (corn and soya in particular) are routinely used as raw materials in animal feed in most parts of the world, including in the EU, and common food items sold in Seychelles, (for example certain cereals) may contain various amounts of GMO or GMO derived ingredients.

He added that given there are no national laws that regulate the importation of GM products, decisions are taken on a case-by-case basis and is subject to a clearing house mechanism subject to parameters defined under the Cartagena Protocol, to which Seychelles is signatory.

“It is thus not possible to categorically state that consumers in Seychelles are not consuming products with GMO,” he stated.

For his part, Dr Melanie said that the Zinc Bacitracin used in the animal feed do not have an immediate effect on human health as based on scientific research the product is captured at the level of the intestine of the animal and is not accumulated in the meat.

“Furthermore the antibiotic is also not absorbed in the tissue and other organs of the animal and the wash out period is zero. So it means that one can continue to give the animal feed to the animal from straight away until slaughtering. If you make a test, you will find that the antibiotic is not present in the meat as 95% are washed away through body waste and body fluids,” said Dr Melanie.

However the doctor noted that certain bacteria have developed resistance against Zinc Bacitracin and it is for this reason that the ministry does not want for the product to be introduced in animal feed.

The Agriculture department in collaboration with the Seychelles Trading Company (STC), has, as from September, 2023 started the importation and distribution of animal feed to local livestock producers. Consequently, the Animal Feed subsidy, that was in application since 2020 has been discontinued as from the cut-off date 30th June 2023. Feed is available for poultry and pigs, and stocks shall be maintained for the initial period of 6 to 12 months, or until there is an improvement in the market for animal feed.

Patrick Joubert/Press release from the Agriculture department