Chicken Industry

Chicken importers seem confused

Do chicken importers want rebates on general tariffs or on anti-dumping duties?

Executives of the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (AMIE) appear to have given conflicting answers in different media interviews.

Both options are on the table. South Africa’s trade regulator, the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) is investigating the desirability of rebates on general import duties, as well as on anti-dumping duties.

AMIE CEO Paul Matthew was quite clear where his choice lies. In an interview with ENCA he said importers had not asked for a rebate on anti-dumping duties, but believed there could be a reduction in the general duties on imported chicken. AMIE was “very against” dumping, he said, as “it buggers up the market”.

However, the Daily Investor has reported Fred Hume, head of Hume International, as saying exactly the opposite – AMIE wanted rebates only on anti-dumping duties.

That may have been an error in reporting. Be that as it may, the report said that Hume called for temporary rebate permits for chicken imports. “These permits should not be free of all import duties, but at least free of anti-dumping duties,” the publication reported.

So are importers supposedly against dumping, or are they against anti-dumping duties? This could cause some confusion. Perhaps they will be approaching the Daily Investor to clarify exactly what their position is.

And whether importers find agreement amongst themselves or not, lets not forget that South Africa’s food security, hundreds of small farmers, thousands of local jobs, and the viability of one of our country’s largest agricultural sectors is, after all, more important that the profit margins of chicken importers.