Chicken importers appear increasingly rattled by FairPlay’s questions about their support for chicken exports. They have now clarified their position and have come out in support of a plan to double and treble South Africa’s poultry sales abroad.
Key takeaways:
- AMIE backs poultry exports: Following FairPlay’s pressure, importers declared support for boosting South African poultry sales abroad.
- Master plan commitment: AMIE agreed to assist with market identification and targeted export growth leading into 2030 and 2035.
- Deeds must follow words: FairPlay highlights that these targets repeat failed 2019 goals, urging AMIE to match promises with real action.
While this is news is welcome, it’s been hard work. FairPlay has noted that, while the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (AMIE) shout loudly when there’s any problem with red meat consignments, they have been notably quiet about similar issues holding back chicken exports.
AMIE is a signatory to the poultry master plan, which envisages a substantial rise in chicken export sales. This, we said, offered a considerable income boost for AMIE members, so they should be using their considerable export expertise to help overcome blockages that have kept export volumes low. Why the silence, we asked.
We now have a second, and fuller, reply on the activities that AMIE and its members are planning to increase sales abroad.
While it’s mostly a statement of intent, with little to show so far in actions, the response is encouraging. If it delivers on those promises, there will be a lot to agree on.
In its latest newsletter, AMIE says it accepts its poultry master plan role “in supporting market identification, export agreements, regulatory alignment and trade facilitation”. That’s what FairPlay called for.
AMIE also supports “a time-bound export delivery plan”. This is presumably a reference to the “export development plan” in the 2026 revised poultry master plan. This envisages exports as a percentage of local production rising to 3-5% by 2030, to 7-10% by 2035 and to a growing proportion thereafter.
The problem is that these are the same targets and timelines set out in the 2019 master plan, and they were not achieved. Exports stagnated. FairPlay will look for AMIE’s full support and co-operation to ensure that, this time around, the chicken export bonanza actually happens.
Deeds must follow words.
