Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 3/9/15


A South Africa delegation, including representatives of the South African Poultry Association, was in Washington last week to discuss with Congress ways to resolve an impasse over U.S. poultry exports to South Africa, according to the National Chicken Council.

In the NCC’s Washington Report, the group reported the long-standing dispute is now threatening South Africa’s continued participation in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which expires in September and must be renewed by Congress.

AGOA is a 15-year-old preferential trade scheme that provides duty-free treatment to U.S. imports of certain products from eligible sub-Saharan African countries.

Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) met last Wednesday for about 45 minutes with a special delegation of South African government officials.

NCC reported that Sen. Coons was encouraged by the South African government’s determination to reach an equitable agreement before Congress considers the reauthorization of AGOA this spring.

Also last Wednesday in Washington, NCC President Mike Brown met with his South African counterpart, Kevin Lovell of the South African Poultry Association.

“The meeting was productive, the issues were outlined and they are narrowing,” said Brown about the talks. “Our government and the government of South Africa, and our respective industries, have been negotiating in good faith. I want to thank Senators Coons and Isakson for their tireless efforts to restore access to U.S. chicken in the South African market, where we have been unfairly shut out for the past 15 years.”

Jim Sumner, president of USA Poultry and Egg Export Council, told Meatingplace in a recent interview that USAPEEC is also negotiating with the South African Poultry Association, “on how we’re going to get rid of these duties and open the market to U.S. bone-in chicken parts again.”

Since 2000, South Africa has placed an “antidumping duty” on all American poultry products, effectively pricing them out of the market. According to NCC, the United States has missed out on approximately 100,000 metric tons of chicken exports to South Africa.  South Africa initiated the tariff to combat what they referred to as “illegally low” prices of American chicken.

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