Bush Meat Shortage Hits Bassa Markets

An official of the Liberia Marketing Association (LMA) branch in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County has confirmed the shortage of bush meat at markets in the county due to the outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus in Liberia about two months ago.

Mr. Washington S. Browne, Secretary General and County Coordinator of the LMA Grand Bassa branch, told the Liberia News Agency in a recent interview that for the past two months, bush meat sales has dropped significantly on the market.

Browne said since the ban was imposed on the killing and consumption of certain animals in the country, there has been very low sale of bush meat. He told LINA that he has visited the four districts on market days and found virtually no bush meat on sale at the various markets.

When contacted, Mary Karyouway, a marketer at the Buchanan City General Market, who has been selling bush meat for over 20 years, said “this Ebola virus has caused serious financial setbacks to me and all those selling bush meat in Bassa.”

Following the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the country, one of the preventive measures announced by the government was a halt on the consumption of certain wild animals, but Liberians have generalized the announcement to stop eating bush meat globally.

According to the Health Ministry, progress has been made in curbing the virus as there has been no new reported cases from April 18-28, 2014, across the country.