Merlog Foods calls for Border Management Authority to adopt Brazil’s online veterinary verification system to prevent delays of seven to 10 days undermining affordable protein supply.
By Maile Matsimela, Digital Editor of African Farming
Merlog Foods is calling on the Border Management Authority (BMA) to implement the use of an online electronic verification system to verify health certificates and prevent further delays to poultry imports.
These delays, caused by a reliance on paper-based certificates, are undermining food security and contributing to rising protein costs in South Africa, says Georg Southey, manager at Merlog Foods.
Veterinary health certificates for poultry exports from Brazil are issued both as hard copies and as secure electronic records accessible through an internationally recognised online portal. Southey says both the BMA and the Directorate of Animal Health under the Department of Agriculture already have access to this online system.
Currently, even when poultry shipments are precleared using the online system, the poultry is held at a South African port until the original paper-based certificates arrive, which results in delays of at least seven to 10 days before the chickens can be released for sale.
Merlog Foods urges the BMA to rely on the online veterinary portal as used by Brazil instead of waiting for paper certificates to be sent from Brazil.
“After months of disruption to poultry imports, we urge the Border Management Authority to align port inspection procedures with modern, technologically based practices. Formalising the use of electronic verification systems would streamline trade while maintaining food safety and compliance,” said Southey.
Also read: Relief for polony makers: Ban on Brazilian chicken partially lifted
Reopening Of Trade With Brazil Will Help Stabilise Local Protein Market
He added that following a ban on Brazilian poultry imports because of a single case of bird flu (HPAI) in one state, South Africa has recently reopened trade with Brazil. Early shipments are expected from the week of 18 August.
“We expect volumes to build up over the next two to three months, which will help stabilise the local protein market and ensure processors have access to key inputs such as mechanically deboned meat (MDM),” said Southey.
MDM is a critical raw material in the manufacture of affordable processed protein products such as polony and Vienna sausages. These products are widely consumed by lower-income households and used in local school feeding schemes. Delays in releasing MDM into the market directly impact food affordability, with an estimated 100 million meals lost per week of delay.
“The continued requirement for original paper-based veterinary health certificates, despite their delayed issuance and delivery, creates a bottleneck in the supply chain. In contrast, Brazil’s online veterinary certificate verification system is secure, is widely used by global trade partners and was previously accepted by South African authorities during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Southey.
Merlog Foods also urged the Department of Agriculture to prioritise finalising a regionalisation protocol with Brazil. This, the company says, would allow imports from unaffected states to continue in the event of any future bird flu outbreak, rather than triggering a nationwide ban.
“It is important that a regionalisation protocol with Brazil is concluded without delay,” said Southey. “If another case of bird flu arises in future and no agreement is in place, the entire country could once again be subject to a blanket ban. This would force us to experience unnecessary disruptions again.”
Merlog Foods reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Department of Agriculture and its veterinary inspection teams at the BMA in implementing regulatory improvements that ensure safe, efficient and uninterrupted food supply.
