FairPlay has accused chicken importers of twisting the facts in their fight against tariffs and duties that reduce import volumes and importer profits.
FairPlay took up the issue after ChickenFacts, official mouthpiece of the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters, published a long tirade against duties that cut chicken imports.
Importers opposing authorised trade measures should disclose that “they want more imports that would make them a lot more money”, said FairPlay founder Francois Baird.
ChickenFacts had unfairly accused the South African poultry industry of claiming to be in crisis which it was actually prospering and profitable.
“The poultry industry has celebrated the fact that it has become the largest agricultural industry in South Africa, valued at R74 billion and that it has invested more than R2 billion in production growth,” Baird responded.
“Importers who think this is crisis talk must have their heads under their wings.”
Baird took issue with importers’ frequent portrayal of anti-dumping duties as protectionist. He reminded them that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) sees dumping as an illicit trade practice and authorises anti-dumping duties to restore fair competition.
“South Africa has imposed anti-dumping duties on nine poultry producing countries because official investigations have shown they are importing chicken into South Africa, contrary to WTO rules at unfairly low prices, harming local producers and threatening local jobs. Yet chicken importers want these measures scrapped.”
Baird also accused imports of pretending that the steep reduction in chicken imports since 2018 had resulted solely from the imposition of general tariffs and anti-dumping duties.
“Not a mention of bird flu, which has ravaged Europe and North America in recent years, and has been the main contributor to lower chicken import volumes.”
Baird said the South African poultry industry was growing, and profitable.
“The two major risks it faces are renewed outbreaks of bird flu and a renewal of the flood of dumped chicken imports that pitched the industry into crisis a decade ago.”
