FairPlay has long argued for a more thorough inspection of consignments of chicken imports. This would ensure not only the quality of incoming chicken meat but also that what has been declared is what is actually in the containers of frozen chicken.
The 2019 poultry master plan promises “decisive action” against illegal imports, where taxes and import duties can be evaded if volumes are under-declared or if high-duty chicken portions are mislabelled as ones subject to lower or no duties. The SA Revenue Service (SARS) is part of a task team formed to combat such activities.
Paul Matthew, outgoing CEO of the importers’ association AMIE, complains that the intensification has happened without notice, and without an increase in the veterinary staff required.
The result, he said in an article in the financial newspaper Business Day, has been a huge increase in delays at South Africa’s already congested ports.
What had previously been random inspections for a multi-container consignment had suddenly become a lengthy inspection of every single container.
“As a result of the new inspection procedures, ports across the country are experiencing a backlog and mass container congestion. The situation is being compounded by the fact that many food containers need refrigeration, and there are not enough plug points to go around,” Matthew said.
Essential food imports are being delayed, including mechanically deboned meat (MDM) which comprises just over half of all chicken imports. MDM is a paste used in the production of processed meats such as polonies and sausages.
The FairPlay Movement believes that tighter inspections are necessary, in line with the poultry master plan to which Matthew is a signatory. Ramping up South Africa’s state veterinary capabilities should have happened years ago, and it has become increasingly urgent.
The master plan highlighted the lack of state veterinary staff and facilities for the certification of exports. The same is now proving true for imports. The private sector may have to help.
FairPlay congratulates the veterinary services for implementing the stricter inspection regime, and we encourage SARS and the customs service to follow suit. All imports, including poultry, need to be thoroughly inspected.
And if more veterinarians or other inspectors are needed, or improvements such as additional plug points for refrigerated containers, then it’s time for importers to contribute. They have been making substantial profit for decades, and can easily afford to pay into a fund for this purpose, managed by the ports or by SARS.
After all, poultry producers have for years now had to cope with the extra costs of loadshedding, municipal services and national infrastructure collapses, as well as culling chickens without compensation to combat avian influenza. It is time for importers to help carry the burden and deliver on the poultry master plan.
