Question NW3224 to the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION

Reply:

1. (a) Details of the total cost of importing vaccines for the foot and mouth disease from the Republic of Botswana (aa) in each of the past 10 financial years and (bb) since 1 April 2017 and (ii) the cost of each dose in each case and are provided in the table below.

Year of importation	Dosed imported (per  year)	Amount spent         (per year )	Average cost  per dose (per batch)
2006	500 000	R 5 937 424,86	R 11,84
2007	200 000	R 3 054 354,86	R 15,27
2008	200 000	R 3 485 846,11	R 17,43
2009	350 000	R 7 591 077,71	R 16,81
2010	250 000	R 4 594 004,58	R 18,38
2011	650 000	R 12 283 097,94	R 18,69
2012	464 200	R 10 124 063,83	R 21,82
2013	732 200	R 17 867 980,95	R 24,50
2014	150 000	R 4 003 760,25	R 26,70
2015	600 000	R 21 288 725,90	R 35,47
2016	600 000	R 22 172 794,38	R 36,97
2017	300 000	R 11 493 047,08	R 38,31
Total	5 096 400	R 123 891 178,45	-

(b) Which department and/or entity was responsible for payment of the vaccines?

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) is responsible for payment of Foot and Mouth Disease vaccine as it is a controlled vaccine. The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) through its Onderstepoort Veterinary Research (OVR) Institute helps with the procurement and storage of this vaccine for purposes of biosecurity.

(2) Whether any payments of vaccines were (a) not made and/or (b) paid late in the specified period; if so, what are the relevant details?

(2) (a) (b) The Department only pays for services rendered upon receipt of an invoice supported by all other financial documents like Purchase Orders. DAFF and the ARC were in communication with regards to payment for batches of vaccine imported in March 2015 and September and December 2016.   The account reconciliation was done for the 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 financial years and DAFF received an up to-date account reconciliation in January 2017 from the ARC. The years mentioned were therefore not paid for on time.  The department is currently looking at a most appropriate way to settle the outstanding amount from the 2017/2018 budget.   DAFF urgently required the importation of a further 150 000 doses of FMD vaccine in September 2017, which was paid for in full.