South Africa’s nine-week bird flu ban on poultry imports from Brazil halved those import levels in June. Early statistics for July indicate another dramatic drop in monthly import volumes.
Imports from Brazil dropped 51% in June and a further 73% in July, according to information from StatsSA. Only 3 310 tonnes of Brazilian poultry entered the country that month, compared to 26 000 tonnes in April and 25 000 tonnes in May.
Total poultry imports in July were 10 543 tonnes, one of the lowest in recent history.
The ban was in effect from the beginning of May this year to the first week of July. Due to the lengthy shipping periods from Brazil, the impact is likely to reflect in import statistics for August and possibly also September.
Full details will be given in the July imports reports from the SA Poultry Association (SAPA). They are expected to be released on 15 September.
