The South African Poultry Association has responded positively to the announcement by President Ramaphosa in his SONA speech that the new tariff on imported chicken to curb the unfair component of international trade will be set within two weeks.
Said Izaak Breitenbach, GM of SAPA’s Broiler Organisation, “Since the Poultry Industry Master Plan was signed in November last year, a number of steps have been taken towards implementation by both government (DTIC, SARS, DALRRD) and the poultry industry, and it is great to be able to confirm that the ball is rolling.
Minister Patel signed the tariff off shortly after the Master Plan, and we have been waiting for the legal processes to be completed so that this essential tariff adjustment could become a reality. We trust that the minister will set the tariff at an appropriate level to bring the much-needed relief from unfair trade to South Africa’s chicken producers who have been battling to compete in a trade environment that has favoured unfair imports. Not all imports are unfairly traded and our poultry industry can compete with Brazil, the US and the EU on an equal playing field, which the tariff should ensure.
As an industry, we are fully committed to the objectives of the Master Plan and playing our role alongside government, importers and other stakeholders to ensure growth and the creation of jobs in the extended poultry value chain.” ENDS
