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IOL News
11 hours ago
- Business
- IOL News
South African poultry industry faces uncertainty despite Brazil's avian flu declaration
Farming associations have welcomed news that Brazil declared itself free of the Avian flu outbreak earlier this week. Image: supplied Farming associations across South Africa are cautiously optimistic following Brazil's announcement earlier this week that it has declared itself free of the recent avian flu outbreak. This declaration comes in the wake of the Department of Agriculture lifting its ban on the import of poultry and poultry products from Brazil, though only partially. The ban had initially been enforced after the outbreak was contained to one state in Brazil. South African meat producers on Thursday raised red flags, however, cautioning that despite this promising news, a shortage of Mechanically Deboned Meat (MDM) was still anticipated in the local market. Francois Rossouw, CEO of Southern African Agri Initiative (Saai), said Brazil would need to provide sufficient evidence on their Avian Flu health for the department to completely lift the ban on poultry. 'The Department of Agriculture should carefully assess Brazil's current biosecurity measures and disease management strategies. However, it is essential to ensure that any imports do not pose a risk to our local poultry industry,' he said. 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 Next Stay Close ✕ Rossouw added that the news that Brazil declared itself free of Avian flu could be seen as a double-edged sword for the South African poultry industry. 'On one hand, it may lead to increased competition, which could benefit consumers through lower prices. On the other hand, local farmers may face challenges in competing with imported poultry products. It is crucial for us to support local farmers by promoting best practices in biosecurity.' Rossouw said that Brazil's declaration indicates that they have effectively managed the outbreak, which is commendable. However, Izaak Breitenbach, the CEO of the South African Poultry Association, said raised concern about poultry imports from the United States, who themselves face an Avian Flu outbreak. Breitenbach said all poultry-producing states in the US had been affected, and 27 of those states are currently banned by the South African authorities from exporting poultry to this country. 'Decisions on which US states could or could not export poultry to South Africa should be taken by South Africa, not the US. These decisions have previously been taken by the Department of Agriculture, based on US notifications to the World Organisation of Animal Health. However, the department has now allowed the US to 'self-impose and self-lift' bird flu restrictions,' he said. 'By granting the United States the right to determine its own disease status and export policies, the department has created a serious conflict of interest. The risk is palpable: a country grappling with widespread outbreaks of bird flu can now prioritise its own interests and potentially expose South Africa to the very disease that cost this industry R9.5 billion and wiped out 30% of its long-living chicken flock in 2023. We call on the DoA to end this 'concession' and restore its role as a protector of the local industry.' The SA Meat Producers Association (Sampa) warned that processed meat producers have or will soon run out of MDM because of an impasse between South Africa and Brazil over the technicalities of lifting a ban on poultry from the South American nation. A refusal by Brazilian authorities to accept the proposed wording on South Africa's Import Health Certificate means Brazilian poultry is still unavailable to importers and manufacturers over a week later. Gordon Nicoll, chairperson of Sampa, said they were delighted the department delighted when announced last week that it would accept poultry and poultry products from non-affected Brazilian provinces as members had not received stock of MDM for almost two months. 'Some of our processors had been forced to lay off staff because factories were silent. The fact that we still can't import MDM is disastrous for our members. Even if stock is shipped immediately, we will most likely only receive it in August, which means that factories have lain idle for three months. No manufacturing business can sustain that,' Nicoll said.
IOL News
19-06-2025
- Business
- IOL News
How resuming poultry imports from Brazil can secure South Africa's food future
South Africa partially lifted the ban on poultry imports from Brazil after containing bird flu. Image: File Meat importers and processors have welcomed the government's decision to partially lift the ban on poultry imports from Brazil, saying it will help stabilise local food production and avoid shortages of affordable protein products. The Department of Agriculture confirmed that as of Thursday, June 20, 2025, imports of poultry and poultry products from Brazil will resume, excluding the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, where a bird flu outbreak was reported in May. The South African Meat Processors Association (SAMPA) said the move would help avert major disruptions in the manufacture of staple products such as polony, viennas, and braai wors, which depend on Mechanically Deboned Meat (MDM) sourced almost entirely from Brazil. 'We are grateful for the urgency displayed by the Department of Agriculture and especially Minister John Steenhuisen, Deputy Director-General Dipeneneng Serage, and his team in averting the full-scale social and humanitarian crisis which the ban imposed on 16 May threatened to unleash,' said SAMPA chairperson Gordon Nicoll. 'While it will take some time for imports of MDM to reach our shores, the situation could have been a lot worse. We hope that this crisis will provide the blueprint for South African authorities should the remaining two poultry-producing regions of Brazil report HPAI outbreaks, so we can avoid any other breaks in supply in the future.' 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 Next Stay Close ✕ South Africa does not produce MDM in any meaningful quantity. For the past 12 years, Brazil has supplied about 95% of MDM used in South African meat processing, making it an essential component in affordable processed products like russians, frozen burgers, bangers, meat pies, and corned meat. The Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (AMIE) also welcomed the department's decision, calling it a necessary, science-based step to protect industry and consumers. 'We commend the government for acting swiftly and pragmatically in response to Brazil's evolving avian influenza situation,' said AMIE CEO Imameleng Mothebe. 'This regionalised approach, aligned with international best practices, is a positive step toward stabilising the poultry market and safeguarding food security for South African consumers.' According to the department, the decision to partially lift the ban followed a second official report from Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock confirming that the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak had been successfully contained to a single province. 'The veterinary services of the department engaged with their Brazilian counterparts to determine the extent of the outbreak, steps taken to contain the outbreak, and whether there are any other outbreaks on other farms or in any other state,' said Minister Steenhuisen. 'Information received from the Brazilian authorities demonstrated that poultry products produced outside of the 10km radius from the outbreak are not affected and pose no health risk.' Steenhuisen added: 'We are glad that, a month after the outbreak was reported in Brazil, we have been able to assess and confirm that risks associated with the importation of poultry and poultry products from Brazil are insignificant. We are closely monitoring the situation.' While the suspension remains in place for poultry sourced from Rio Grande do Sul, the department confirmed that all other Brazilian states may resume exports to South Africa from Thursday. The government cautioned that the decision may be reversed if the virus spreads to other regions. AMIE said it would continue pushing for the formal conclusion of a new health certificate agreement between the two countries, which would allow future import bans to apply only to affected areas rather than the entire country. 'AMIE is urging government to finalise the health certificate agreement with Brazil that provides for a regionalised approach to future disease outbreaks,' said Mothebe. 'This agreement is crucial to ensure that future trade disruptions are limited only to affected regions, rather than resulting in blanket national bans.' The association said the May suspension had already triggered noticeable price increases for poultry products in recent weeks, disproportionately affecting lower-income households that rely on affordable chicken cuts and processed meats. 'South Africans have already seen poultry prices surge in recent weeks,' said Mothebe. 'We hope this decision will help ease pressure on the food basket, especially as MDM and affordable chicken cuts are vital to lower-income households and the processed meat sector.' AMIE also urged the department to consider reopening other poultry import markets, including France, Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands, which remain closed despite declaring successful containment of previous HPAI outbreaks to the World Organisation for Animal Health. 'A diversified supply base is essential to building resilience in South Africa's food system,' said Mothebe. 'The reopening of safe and previously approved markets must be prioritised to avoid future disruptions and ensure ongoing supply and competition, which keeps prices in check.' The department said it will continue to monitor the situation in Brazil and assess any new health risks that may arise.
