I refer to the letter from Tumi Mokwene of Kameeldrift West and agree that the dumping of chicken does not only affect big companies such as RCL Foods and Astral, but all chicken farmers “Dumped Chicken Hits Small Farmers Harder” (March8).
The government turns a deaf ear and a blind eye to the concerns of all farmers and other industries and effective businesses that are disadvantaged by cheap imports. Small farmers and contract growers will slowly disappear as, I did, along with the jobs of the 400 people I employed.
The consumers do not benefit from the cheap imports- it’s only the importers and middlemen that make the money. Most butcheries and some retailers repack the imported products into plain packaging or their own brands. Limit the imports,or have a quota system,and increase the duties and levies and SA will collect billions of rand for the fiscus.
Boosting our local poultry industry will increase employment and encourage small businesses allied to the chicken industry. All poultry producers can and will raise production if the playing fields are leveled.
Keith Lauwrens
Western Cape
