The Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA), which represents Brazil’s major poultry and pork producers, hosted a high-level seminar in South Africa on 10 December aimed at strengthening cooperation on protein food security, animal-health management and stable trade between the two countries.
By Maphuti Mongatane and Maile Matsimela
The meeting came as South Africa faced newly confirmed cases of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the Free State, leading to cattle culling and contributing to rising red-meat prices. Senior South African agricultural officials, meat importers and Brazil’s deputy minister of agriculture attended the seminar to explore science-based solutions to safeguard access to affordable protein.
Regionalisation Key to Protecting Food Supply
A central focus of the discussions was regionalisation, an international standard endorsed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Regionalisation allows trade to continue safely from unaffected zones during disease outbreaks, helping to prevent unnecessary supply shortages.
“Regionalisation is the system the world relies on to keep food supply stable,” says Ricardo Santin, the president of ABPA. “When it is abandoned, the result is unnecessary shortages, price pressure and harm to families already under strain.”
Earlier this year, South Africa suspended all chicken imports from Brazil after a contained case of bird flu in a single state. This removed more than 100 million meals per week from the local food system. ABPA stresses that such disruptions are avoidable when regionalisation is applied consistently.
Watch: SA looks to Brazil as an example to eradicate FMD – Steenhuisen
Brazil’s Role in Protein Security
Brazilian imports to South Africa, particularly mechanically deboned meat used in products such as Vienna sausages and polony, play a critical role in South Africa’s food security by:
- Filling domestic supply gaps
- Supporting affordable pricing
- Allowing local producers to focus on higher-value cuts
ABPA stresses that imported poultry does not displace local producers but rather complements the national protein supply.
Strengthening Veterinary Cooperation
Following the seminar, Brazilian and South African veterinary authorities held bilateral technical discussions to strengthen cooperation on:
- Regionalisation
- Digital veterinary certification
- FMD and bird flu management
- Disease-surveillance systems
Brazilian officials emphasised that their goal was trust and collaboration, not expanding exports. “We are here to strengthen partnership and ensure a reliable flow of safe, affordable protein.”
Also read: FMD: SA can learn from Brazil’s efforts in becoming FMD-free
A Shared Commitment to Stable Protein Access
The Brazilian ambassador highlighted the deepening ties between the two countries through BRICS, and stressed that predictable, science-aligned trade was essential to food security.
South African industry representatives agreed, pointing to the real and immediate impact that trade disruptions have on consumers and processors.
The seminar concluded with a clear message: Brazil and South Africa are committed to building a science-based, resilient and mutually beneficial protein-security partnership.
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