South Africa, U.S. agree on terms for poultry imports

South Africa on Tuesday in Cape Town signed an agreement with the U.S. to resume importation of 65,000 tonnes of chicken each year.

The South African government disclosed that veterinary trade between both countries was bogged down over health concerns.

The veterinary trade protocol came after the U.S. threatened to suspend trade benefits for South African farm products earlier this month, in retaliation against the clampdown on poultry imports.

Sidwell Medupe, the Spokesperson for South Africa’s Department of Trade and Industry, said government had been concerned that an outbreak of avian flu in the U.S. which killed nearly 50 million birds could pose animal and human health risks to the economy.

Medupe said “we are on track to resolving the outstanding issues related to beef and pork.

“The chicken protocol shows we are moving in the right direction.’’

The spokesperson added that the pact the two countries signed was part of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a U.S. programme designed to help African exporters.

The agreement will be finalised by Dec. 31; we hope to see the U.S. emerge as one of the top poultry exporters to South Africa.

South Africa has imposed anti-dumping duties of above 100 per cent on certain chicken products.

Industrialists noted that removing the import barriers would open a market which had been closed for the last 15 years.