Call for new trade agreement with Brazil on chicken imports

A CALL has been made for South Africa’s Department of Agriculture to seek a new trade agreement with Brazil that would allow for the continuous import of safe chicken products despite outbreaks of avian influenza.

- SIPHESIHLE BUTHELEZI

This comes as a similar year-long trade arrangement was reached with the US by South Africa for chicken imports.

The local food industry said such an agreement was needed with Brazil which is the country’s biggest supplier of mechanically deboned meat (MDM).

According to a letter released by the Department this week, the agreement empowers the US to manage its own internal export bans at the state level. This means chicken can continue to be exported to South Africa from unaffected states, while those experiencing bird flu outbreaks are temporarily excluded.