MEAT SHORTAGES COULD HIT YOUR WALLET HARD

Warning that many will face threat of hunger, malnutrition

- MANDILAKHE TSHWETE

SOUTH African consumers may face higher meat prices this winter as outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, an avian flu-related ban on Brazilian poultry imports, and financial turmoil in the local poultry sector tighten supply.

Prices of mechanically deboned meat (MDM) have already surged by 140%, pushing up costs for processed products like polony, while disruptions in the beef sector create a complex picture for meat affordability - posing particular challenges for lower-income households.

Gordon Nicoll, chairperson of the South African Meat Processors Association (SAMPA), outlined the challenges: “We're currently facing a serious supply issue when it comes to raw materials, specifically mechanically deboned meat from Brazil. The problem isn’t just about price anymore; it’s about whether you can get stock at all. That's the first issue.”

Mechanically deboned meat is essential in the production of affordable processed meat products such as polony, viennas, russians, and tinned corned beef, which are staples for many South African households.