Latest news with #ImamelengMothebe
Eyewitness News
16 hours ago
- Business
- Eyewitness News
Meat importers call on govt to reopen for poultry imports from countries free of avian flu
JOHANNESBURG - The Association of Meat Importers is calling for the Agriculture Department to reopen poultry imports from countries free from avian influenza. Since May 16, South Africa has imposed a ban on its primary poultry supplier, Brazil, owing to an outbreak of avian flu. ALSO READ: DFFE warns that avian influenza may have reached Marion Island This has forced the government to look towards countries like Sweden, Denmark and Belgium, which are unaffected by the outbreak. CEO of Meat Importers Association, Imameleng Mothebe, said, "Opening access to each additional AI-free market will help stabilise prices, ensure availability of affordable protein, safeguard jobs in the process and ensure our country is future-proofed of avian influenza supply shortages."
IOL News
a day ago
- Business
- IOL News
Urgent call to reopen poultry imports amid supply crisis
The Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (AMIE) has urged the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development to immediately resume poultry imports from countries that have declared themselves free of Avian Influenza, in line with World Organisation for Animal Health guidelines. The Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (AMIE) has urged the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development to immediately resume poultry imports from countries that have declared themselves free of Avian Influenza, in line with World Organisation for Animal Health guidelines. These countries include France (February 4, 2025), Sweden (March 31, 2025), and both Denmark and Belgium (May 23, 2025). The last recorded imports from Denmark were in 2020, when South Africa imported an average of 1 384 metric tons of poultry products per month, including both poultry cuts and mechanically deboned meat (MDM). AMIE on Wednesday also welcomed the Department of Agriculture's commitment to make a determination on a partial lifting of the Brazilian import suspension by the end of this week. This would be based on the fact that the Avian Flu outbreak is contained to the Rio Grande do Sol province in Brazil. Brazilian imports are currently halted due to the Avian Influenza outbreak in Rio Grande do Sol, which produces between 10% to 15% of all poultry in that country. Since local producers are unable to meet total demand, particularly for poultry offal and MDM, which South Africa does not produce at scale, it is critical to diversify supply sources to ensure continued affordability, availability, and market stability, it said. Imameleng Mothebe, the CEO of AMIE, said: 'Opening access to each additional AI-free market will help alleviate some of the current poultry supply gap and reduce the growing economic and food security risks created by the current overall suspension of imports from Brazil. Even with a partial lifting of the suspension of imports from Brazil, there will still be a shortfall that will need to be filled in order to maintain consumption demand in our country. Opening additional markets not only fills this gap, but also future proofs South Africa against AI-related supply shortages.' South African Meat Processors Association urged the government to implement zoning (regionalisation) with all haste. "One of our members, Sky Country Meats, has already been forced to lay off almost 100 employees, with more retrenchments to follow next week if imports of MDM are not restored as a matter of absolute urgency," it said.
IOL News
29-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Avian flu threatens 30,000 jobs and food prices in South Africa
With the recent ban on Brazilian chicken imports, South Africa faces a potential crisis as 30,000 jobs in the food sector hang in the balance, and households brace for soaring food prices. Image: File Following a ban on imports of chicken and related products from Brazil earlier this month, an industry expert has said, in addition to nutritional concerns over a lack of this protein source, an estimated 30 000 jobs in food processing, logistics, and manufacturing are at risk. Georg Southey, manager at Merlog Foods, added that the disruption in inexpensive poultry supplies will also cause price spikes in low-cost proteins, further squeezing struggling households. This followed news in the middle of last month that the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock in Brazil had reported an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza. This was followed, on May 22, by the South African Department of Agriculture announcing that South Africa had suspended trade of live poultry, eggs and fresh (including frozen) poultry meat, while no new import permits will be issued. The Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (AMIE) has said that this was the first recorded outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza within Brazil's commercial poultry sector. It noted that Brazil supplies over 84% of South Africa's poultry imports. AMIE CEO, Imameleng Mothebe, said: 'A full ban on Brazilian poultry imports to South Africa will have devastating consequences for the South African poultry meat processors and consumers, particularly the most vulnerable in our society.' Southey said that this ban could lead to 'one of the most severe food security crises in recent times' and threatened society's most vulnerable, including children reliant on school feeding schemes. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Given that the outbreak is confined to a single province in Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Southey called on government to 'act with urgency' to accept imports from all other provinces that remain unaffected by the virus. He said that this strategy was internationally accepted. Brazil also used to supply mechanically deboned meat used in polony, viennas, and sausages. 'These provide affordable protein to millions of South Africans,' said Southey, adding that neither local producers nor other countries could meet demand in the short-term. Warning that South Africa only had 2.5 weeks of food reserves in some categories, Southey said, without alternative measures, there is likely to be a shortage of 400 million meals per month, or seven meals a month per person. 'Two weeks of import shipments have already been lost and a further 100 million meals will be lost every week,' he said. Brazil has already instituted surveillance measures and is sharing real-time data, said Southey. Neighbouring country Namibia and Japan have adopted regionalisation protocols in similar situations, he added. IOL
The Citizen
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Bird flu ban: Brazil suspension takes chicken and polony off South African tables — prices set to rise
Some meat producer in SA use mechanically deboned meat from Brazil to make polony, viennas, russians and braaiwors. Most South African households, particularly those with low incomes, rely heavily on chicken, as it is cheaper than other meat options like beef, lamb, and pork, making it one of the most accessible protein sources. Brazil plays a significant role in ensuring that South Africans have enough chicken, as the country accounts for more than 84% of South Africa's poultry imports. However, Brazil has recently experienced an outbreak of avian influenza, also known as the bird flu, which led to the South African government imposing a ban on imports from the country. Chicken shortage Department of Agriculture Deputy Director General of Agricultural Production, Biosecurity, and Natural Resources, Dipepeneneng Serage told The Citizen that the Department will monitor outbreak management and general disease management and control in Brazil, assessing reports from Brazil until the outbreak is closed before lifting the suspension. Imameleng Mothebe, CEO of the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (AMIE), said 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. '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 more than 400 million poultry-based meals per month for South Africa.' She added that, even though SA poultry producers have committed to increasing their production by four million birds per month, local producers alone cannot fill the gap created by the ban. And another challenge is that SA does not produce MDM at a commercial scale. ALSO READ: Here are the economic and social impacts of bird flu How much have chicken prices increased Mothebe added that if there is no regionalisation agreement put in place with Brazil, which will allow for the import of products from areas not affected by the outbreak, there will be many devastating impacts. The blanket ban on Brazilian imports can lead to price increases, food shortages, and job losses for local manufacturers of processed meats who employ more than 125 000 workers. '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,' she said. MDM prices have increased from R13 to R31/kg, while offal, such as gizzards and skins, have seen double-digit increases. Higher costs She stresses that these price increases will be met by rising input costs, especially with the recently announced fuel levy hike in the national budget, which adds inflationary pressure across the value chain. '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 considering the ongoing global diseases phenomenon.' No polony for lunchboxes Arnold Prinsloo, CEO of meat producer Eskort said they use the MDM from Brazil to make polony, viennas, russians and braaiwors. The blanket ban on Brazil will put production lines to a standstill before the end of June. 'This will deprive South Africa's most vulnerable citizens of more than 400 million low-cost meals per month. '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.' Prinsloo is calling on the Department of Agriculture to lift the blanket ban on Brazil and allow imports from parts of the country that have not experienced the outbreak. 'Brazil has indicated that it has submitted the necessary documentation and information to the department, but formal recognition and implementation remain outstanding,' he said. ALSO READ: Here's why chicken prices might increase soon Job losses looming Prinsloo added that the four- to six-week gap in supply due to the ban will also mean that many processors will face standing idle for more than 60 days, risking heavy job losses and instability in the lower LSM consumer segment. 'This is not only a supply chain crisis, but also a pending socio-economic and political disaster.' Can local poultry producers cover the gap? The South African Poultry Association (Sapa) seems to believe that local producers can make up for the gap created by the ban. 'We are currently producing about 21.5 million chickens per week, and the industry has the capacity to increase this by about another million birds per week. 'The impact of a ban on Brazilian chicken imports will not be felt immediately. Chicken imports from Brazil can take about six weeks to reach South Africa, and products dispatched before the ban is implemented will not be affected,' said Izaak Breitenbach, CEO of Sapa's Broiler Organisation. He added that winter months are a period of lower demand for chicken. Therefore, the additional supply of chicken should be sufficient to prevent shortages or price increases. However, Prinsloo disputed claims that local producers can make up for the chicken shortfall. 'It may be true when it comes to fresh or frozen chicken, but the local market doesn't produce mechanically deboned meat in any significant quantity,' he said. 'We rely on Brazil for 92% of our needs, which is why this is such a serious challenge.' NOW READ: Godongwana cuts zero-rated food basket in Budget 3.0
The South African
28-05-2025
- 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.
