MEAT SHORTAGE CRISIS LOOMS

Supply challenges threaten food security and prices could drive up

- MANDILAKHE TSHWETE

SOUTH Africa's 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.

Domestic production of MDM is minimal, making the country heavily reliant on imports, primarily from Brazil.

"South Africa imports about 19000 tons per month," Nicoll said. "We used to source MDM globally, but the avian influenza outbreak in Europe closed those markets. Brazil was the last open source. Now that is closed too, and other suppliers cannot meet our demand."

The suspension of Brazilian poultry imports since May 15, 2025, following an outbreak of bird flu in Rio Grande do Sul, has resulted in a shortage of MDM and increased prices.