Macedonia sheep farmers push for urgent foot‑and‑mouth vaccine

Sheep farmers in Macedonia warn that foot‑and‑mouth disease is rapidly spreading among small ruminants. Around 2,700 infected sheep have already been destroyed, and the sector risks severe damage without immediate vaccination.

The farmers, led by Nasir Dzhemaile of the Modern Shepherd union, have appealed to the government and the Agency for Food and Veterinary (AHV) for an urgent vaccination program, higher compensation (current 7,000‑8,000 denars per animal versus market values of 14,000‑30,000 denars), and stricter movement controls within 3‑10 km of outbreak zones. An AHV‑organized meeting with veterinary services and the Veterinary Chamber is scheduled for Monday to discuss vaccine logistics and additional containment measures, emphasizing the importance of lamb meat exports for the Macedonian economy.