By Carien Kruger
The Department of Agriculture’s partial lifting of the import ban on poultry products from Brazil is “welcome and necessary”, says an importer.
South Africa banned all poultry products from Brazil on 15 May after a first outbreak of bird flu occurred on a commercial farm in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil.
Georg Southey, manager of Merlog Foods, one of South Africa’s largest importers of chicken and chilled meat, welcomed the partial lifting in a statement, saying it took effect on Friday, 19 June. “The decision to partially lift the ban could not have come at a more necessary time,” he said.
According to him, South Africa has lost 100 million meals a week due to the ban, which has put pressure on food affordability and security. “Brazil supplies 95% of our mechanically deboned meat, a key ingredient in daily staples such as polonies, Vienna sausages and (other) sausages. This affordable protein is essential for school feeding schemes and low-income families, and no other country could fill this gap.”
Southey commended the department and John Steenhuisen, Minister of Agriculture, for their rapid response to the industry’s concerns and for having constructive discussions with the Brazilian authorities to establish a protocol based on a regional approach. By re-allowing imports from unaffected areas in Brazil, a balance is found, he says, between biosecurity and national food needs.
“However, there are clear lessons to be learned from the time it took to lift the ban, lessons that we must apply to be able to make faster decisions in similar crises in the future. Speed matters when it comes to food security.”
Southey welcomed the agreement in principle on a regional approach and said he looked forward to an urgent agreement between the agricultural departments of Brazil and South Africa on adapted wording for the relevant health certificate to enable the immediate resumption of trade.
