South Africa is set to see a partial resumption of poultry and poultry product imports from Brazil, a move expected to alleviate concerns over affordable protein availability for its most vulnerable citizens. The decision by the Department of Agriculture comes after a ban was imposed following an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a single Brazilian province.
Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen confirmed the easing of the ban, stating that the Department acted after receiving a second report from Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. This report detailed the successful containment of the HPAI outbreak to just one state, reassuring South African authorities of the reduced risk.
The initial ban had sparked considerable concern among various organizations, who warned of a looming crisis in the supply of affordable protein. The reintroduction of Brazilian poultry imports is therefore a welcome development.
Imameleng Mothebe, CEO of the Association for Meat Importers and Exporters South Africa (AMIE SA), lauded the South African government’s swift action in addressing the situation. However, Mothebe cautioned that a return to normalcy in the local market won’t be immediate.
“Our importers can now start placing orders for the product,” Mothebe explained. “However, we have a challenge at this point that the product will not flow in immediately, because there are still some processes that government is working on with the Brazilian government around finalising the current health certificate.”
This indicates that while the green light has been given for orders, the actual flow of poultry products into South Africa will depend on the finalization of crucial health certification protocols between the two countries. Despite the anticipated delay, the partial lifting of the ban marks a significant step towards stabilizing South Africa’s protein supply chain.
