‘Chicken Dumping Will Cripple The Economy And Kill Off Jobs'

Francois Baird, founder of the FairPlay advocacy movement, tells Annelie Coleman why chicken dumping is an illegal practice, and describes how it threatens South Africa’s chicken and grain industries, the country’s economy, and the jobs and food security of poorer consumers.

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What is the FairPlay movement, and why was it founded? 

The FairPlay anti-dumping movement was founded in 2016 to combat dumping in South Africa and globally.

It advocates an end to the illegal and immoral trade practice of dumping, worldwide and in all industries. We believe in free trade and the rule of law.

FairPlay was established because dumping is pernicious and evil; it is an illegal trade practice that kills local jobs and cripples local industries by importing products at prices way below cost. This happens worldwide.

The EU, which dumps chicken in South Africa, has just taken action to protect its steel producers against dumped imports. FairPlay’s first project is to tackle the chicken dumping threatening the South African chicken industry. Thousands of jobs are at stake: small-scale producers have closed, and large producers are cutting production.

We aim to make the public and the government aware of what is at stake, and advocate a process leading to firm and lasting steps by government to stop chicken dumping. When we succeed in that goal, and we believe we will, we will turn our attention to other industries and other countries afflicted by dumping.

FairPlay cooperates with everyone opposed to dumping and who wishes to support campaigns aimed at stopping it.

At the moment, our support comes mainly from the South African chicken industry and other stakeholders Francois Baird who will be affected if that industry collapses under the weight of dumped imports. We recently announced that Justice Richard Goldstone, an internationally renowned jurist and human rights supporter, will be FairPlay’s first patron.

Our panel of experts, ranging from legal and trade experts to economists, is also growing strongly, with experts from many different countries joining the initial panel of South African experts.