Latest news with #AvianInfluenza
IOL News
4 days ago
- Health
- IOL News
South Africa faces poultry supply concerns amid Brazilian import ban
Farming associations and agricultural associations have raised concern about the impact of the Department of Agriculture's ban on chicken from Brazil due to an avian influenza outbreak. Image: supplied South Africa is grappling with potential food insecurity this winter after the Department of Agriculture's has banned chicken from Brazil due to an avian influenza outbreak. The ban, effective since May 15, 2023, halts imports of live poultry, eggs, and fresh or frozen poultry meat, raising alarms over the supply of mechanically deboned meat (MDM) and poultry offal critical for affordable processed meats like polony, viennas, and sausages. The Association of Meat Importers and Exporters warned on Wednesday of serious economic and food insecurity consequences for South Africa as a result of the recent outbreak of Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Brazil. 'Local producers cannot, and will not be able to meet the gap in supply of poultry offal (feet, gizzards, and skins) and MDM, driving up prices and threatening the affordability and accessibility of basic protein for millions,' it said. Georg Southey, the manager at Merlog Foods, said on Wednesday said there is likely to be a shortage of 400 million meals per month, which equates to seven meals per person per month across the country. Two weeks of import shipments have already been wasted, and a further 100 million meals will be lost every week if the government continues with business as usual. Southey added that the country has only 2.5 weeks of food reserves in some key categories. 'This will have devastating consequences for food security and exacerbate a dreadful reality that estimates suggest over 30% of South African households in at least four provinces already have inadequate food and often go hungry,' he added. Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Arnold Prinsloo, CEO of meat producer Eskort, noted that MDM from Brazil is used by Eskort and its competitors to make polony, viennas, Russians, and Braaiwors. "Production lines will come to a standstill before the end of June if the ban on Brazilian chicken is not lifted. This will deprive South Africa's most vulnerable citizens of more than 400 million low-cost meals per month,' he said. Prinsloo added that vulnerable families and thousands of school feeding schemes rely heavily on polony, and there is a real danger of widespread hunger and malnutrition if Eskort and its competitors cannot sustain supplies. 'The Department of Agriculture, which imposed the Brazil ban on 15 May, should follow the example of Namibia and Mozambique by narrowing the ban to chicken from Rio Grande do Sul, the only state affected by avian flu. The rest of Brazil can be regarded as safe, and a pragmatic and proactive decision to accept imports on that basis will go a long way to heading off the looming crisis in South Africa.' However, Izaak Breitenbach, the CEO of the South African Poultry Association, offered a counterpoint, suggesting the impact on poultry meat supply may be overstated. 'South Africa imports a reduced volume of chicken meat from Brazil, and local production can ramp up quickly, especially as demand typically dips this time of year,' Breitenbach said. While acknowledging a shortage of MDM, which is predominantly imported from Brazil, he noted that South Africa produces minimal MDM domestically and may shift imports to countries like Thailand. 'There will not be a shortage of chicken meat, but MDM supply will be constrained,' he clarified. Investment analyst Anthony Clark from Smalltalkdaily Research said that America and Europe have also reported avian influenza outbreaks. 'Brazil is the biggest exporter of poultry products into South Africa. They have a market share of around 80%, so it is concerning that there is a ban on their products. This means that there is very little chicken coming into this country. However, products that are coming in from Brazil are MDM which goes into processed meat such as polony, viennas, and Russians. The other products that are still coming in from Brazil are chicken offals such as carcasses, heads, and livers.'
The South African
5 days ago
- Health
- The South African
Chicken crisis in South Africa: Here's why offal prices have skyrocketed
The Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (AMIE) has warned of serious economic and food insecurity consequences for South Africa as a result the recent outbreak of Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. Local producers cannot, and will not be able to meet the gap in supply of poultry offal (feet, gizzards, and skins) and mechanically deboned meat (MDM), driving up prices and threatening the affordability and accessibility of basic protein for millions. Brazil is the world's largest exporter of poultry products, and accounts for 73% of poultry (excluding MDM) imported by South Africa, including frozen bone-in chicken and offal (feet, livers, necks and carcasses). It also exports 92% of all MDM imported to South Africa, with a monthly average of 18 000 metric tons over the past year, which is vital in the production of processed meat products. Imameleng Mothebe, CEO of AMIE, says, 'Chicken offal and MDM are not luxuries. They are foundational to school feeding programmes, and the production of processed meats which are the most affordable proteins for low-income households. Ultimately, Brazilian MDM is the source of over 400 million poultry-based meals per month for South Africa. 'Whilst we appreciate the commitment by SA poultry producers to increase their production by four million birds per month during the closure of Brazil poultry exports, the fact is that local producers alone cannot fill the gap in the production of offal and SA effectively does not produce MDM at commercial scale. In addition, alternative international markets also do not have the scale or available supply of the product mix to replace Brazil's exports to South Africa.' The table below of official South African import statistics per month, indicates the number of chickens required per category to meet local demand for offal. Cut Description Average Metric Tonnes (Mt) Imported from Brazil Per Month Estimated Number of Chickens required Chicken Feet 4 071 54 million Chicken Livers 467 10 million Chicken Gizzards 1 505 31 million Using the estimated output of an additional four million birds a month from local producers, and bearing in mind that the local industry will not be able to produce any additional MDM, the following shortfalls in offal per month will remain: Chicken feet – 3 773 MT tonnes per month Gizzards – 1 315 MT tonnes per month Livers – 287 MT tonnes per month. Mothebe said, 'Without urgent action to put in place a regionalisation agreement with Brazil, which would allow for the import of products from areas not affected by the outbreak, price increases and food shortages for consumers, and job losses for local manufacturers of processed meats who employ over 125 000 workers, will follow.' The economic impact of the shortfalls are already being felt in the market, warns Mothebe. With the current shortage of MDM, processed meat producers are facing cost surges as inventory levels are thinning, and shelf prices are starting to reflect this reality. MDM prices have surged from R13 to R31/kg, while offal like gizzards and skins have seen double-digit increases. These increases will be compounded by rising input costs, especially with the recently announced fuel levy hike in the national budget, which adds inflationary pressure across the value chain. This pressure will inevitably be passed on to consumers, resulting in food affordability pressures for the majority of the consumers. Mothebe says, 'We support government continuing engagements with Brazil towards regionalisation, a concept that demarcates affected areas whilst the rest of the country remains open. Regionalisation is widely accepted and supported by the World Organisation of Animal Health (WOAH), especially in light of the ongoing global diseases phenomenon.' Many countries are currently concluding regionalisation agreements with Brazil and therefore will soon be re-opening their markets to Brazilian imports. This week Namibia announced the re-opening of poultry imports from Brazil as a result of concluding regionalisation agreement between the two countries. Mothebe says, 'We urge that the conclusion of engagements between South Africa and Brazil are expedited, to minimise the impact on the South African economy and consumers alike. 'The current situation is not just a trade issue, it's about protecting jobs, businesses, consumer affordability and food security'. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Bird Flu: Ban on poultry gatherings to be lifted this Saturday
DAERA Minister, Andrew Muir, has announced that the Avian Influenza (AI) Prevention Zone (AIPZ) in force across Northern Ireland, including the current ban on poultry gatherings, will both be lifted this Saturday. The move follows the lifting of compulsory housing measures for poultry and captive birds which took effect on May 10. The measures, imposing a range of compulsory biosecurity measures on poultry flocks, were introduced on January 18, 2025. The aim of the AIPZ was to address the risk posed by avian influenza to the poultry sector and was a vital tool in protecting flocks across NI from the disease which was circulating in wild birds. Minister Muir said: 'I have taken the decision to lift the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone, including the ban on gatherings, effective from noon 31 May 2025. 'This is a welcome step, and I want to thank all flock keepers for their vigilance and adherence to good biosecurity measures. This has undoubtedly limited the spread of this disease in NI over the recent months. 'Thanks to the determined efforts from the poultry sector in Northern Ireland to protect their flocks and minimise the impact of disease, we are now in a position to lift the AIPZ and reduce all mandatory restrictions placed on bird keepers. "I'm sure this will be welcome news for the sector which contributes greatly to our economy and wider society. I am aware that my counterpart in the Republic of Ireland has also made a similar decision for a lifting of the AIPZ there on the same date.'
GMA Network
24-05-2025
- Health
- GMA Network
DA, FDA boost collab on ASF, bird flu vaccines oversight
The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FD) are strengthening their collaboration on the regulation and rollout of vaccines for Avian Influenza and African Swine Fever. In a news release on Saturday, the DA said officials of its attached agency, Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), and FDA, met on May 19 to discuss updates on ASF and AI vaccine candidates as part of the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to protect the swine and poultry sectors that are vital for food security and job creation. The meeting was attended by Agriculture Undersecretary for Livestock Dr. Constante Palabrica and newly appointed FDA Director General Atty. Paolo Teston. Both agencies expressed optimism for a possible commercial rollout of ASF and AI vaccines possible before the end of 2025. The DA said some vaccines are currently undergoing field trials, while others are being reviewed by the BAI Veterinary Technical Advisory Committee (VTAC). Several vaccine candidates, meanwhile, have already been endorsed to the FDA for further evaluation and approval, it said. The BAI will formally refer applicants to the FDA, which will then provide regulatory feedback and guidance on necessary steps. The BAI's National African Swine Fever Prevention and Control Program also provided updates on the rollout of the Live Attenuated ASF vaccine, including data on its usage and the number of farms vaccinated to date. 'Strengthening coordination between the DA and FDA is key to ensuring timely and effective vaccine approval. This will help maintain animal health and support the resilience of our livestock and poultry industries as we prepare for the vaccines' commercial use. We must have regulatory systems in place that guarantee safe and effective implementation,' said Palabrica. Online sales The meeting also addressed concerns over illegal online sales of unregistered vaccines, according to the Agriculture Department. The FDA, however, clarified that enforcement falls under the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). To tackle this, the agencies proposed a joint policy and implementation framework involving the DA, FDA, DICT, and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). 'To strengthen border controls, FDA agreed with the DA Office of the Secretary Chief of Staff Atty. Alvin John F. Balagbag's proposal for joint DA-FDA inspections of processed agricultural imports. This initiative aims to prevent technical smuggling and stop the misdeclaration of unprocessed products to bypass inspections at ports of entry,' the DA said. 'This enhanced partnership between the DA and FDA underscores the vital role of vaccines in protecting animal health, supporting Filipino farmers, and ensuring the nation's food security,' it added. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
22-05-2025
- Health
- GMA Network
FDA affirms support for livestock recovery through vaccines
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has affirmed its commitment to support the programs of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to curb the spread of contagious diseases on livestock by ensuring the quality of veterinary vaccines. In a statement, the FDA said its director general, Paolo Teston, met with DA-Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Undersecretary Constante Palabrica on Monday to reinforce inter-agency cooperation in the regulation and availability of critical animal vaccines. This, as the country's pork and poultry industries have been affected by the African Swine Fever (ASF) and Avian Influenza (AI), resulting in disruption in food supply chains. Teston vowed to support programs to control the outbreak of these diseases through close cooperation and coordination with the DA. The FDA would also evaluate documents to ensure the vaccines' quality, safety, and efficacy. 'The FDA likewise reiterated its readiness to assist the DA in navigating the regulatory pathways for veterinary vaccines that are crucial for national preparedness and agricultural recovery,' the agency added. DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa had said that it will take another two to three years before the Philippines' swine population returns to its pre-ASF levels. He said that the controlled vaccination of hogs is ongoing, and the DA is awaiting the approval of the FDA for its clearance for the commercial rollout of the ASF vaccine, possibly later this year. Since the first outbreak in 2019, the national hog inventory has declined from approximately 13 million heads to less than nine million heads. As to bird flu, the DA said in January that it was pushing for the immediate approval of the vaccines by the FDA. The agency also said it was working to secure the P300 million requested by the National Livestock Program to fund vaccine testing. The DA had also taken proactive measures to stabilize the egg supply and curb potential price hikes amid concerns over bird flu. —Giselle Ombay/RF, GMA Integrated News
