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Tanzania imposed a ban on all South African agricultural imports last month, in retaliation for what it said was a South African ban on the import of Tanzanian bananas.

Poor people are going to be the hardest hit by the South African government’s decision to scrap the proposed additional food exemptions from value added tax (VAT), FairPlay said in a statement.

Because of disputes over whether or not to increase value added tax (VAT), South Africa is headed for its third budget this year.

The SA Poultry Association (SAPA) has formally applied to South African authorities for the removal of an annual quota of chicken imported from the United States free of anti-dumping duties that would otherwise apply.

An organisation representing South African business leaders has cited the South African motor industry as a prime example of why the country needs a bilateral trade deal with the United States instead of crippling new tariffs.

South Africa’s agricultural sector has made enormous progress since the end of apartheid 31 years ago, and has contributed significantly to the country’s economic growth. However, millions still go hungry because they cannot afford the food that is available.

The British government has ruled out any trade deal with the United Sates that would put chlorinated chicken or hormone beef on British supermarket shelves.

South Africa’s agriculture minister has warned that duty-free access to US markets under AGOA may soon end.

As the US raises steep new tariffs, South Africa and Europe brace for a surge of dumped Chinese goods diverted from American markets, raising fears of damage to local industries.

South African poultry producers are encouraged by sharp declines in bone-in chicken imports but remain concerned about record-high volumes of offal and mechanically deboned meat.

South Africa’s agricultural sector must stay focused on urgent issues like disease control and vaccine readiness, says economist Wandile Sihlobo, warning that political distractions risk sidelining key priorities for growth and food security.

Brazilian meat giant JBS faces mounting scepticism over whether it can meet its 2025 target to eliminate deforestation from its Amazon beef supply chain, amid warnings the region is nearing an environmental tipping point.

The South African government plans to use the 90-day suspension of the imposition of “reciprocal” tariffs by the United States to try to negotiate a bilateral trade deal with the US that benefits both countries.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas as his special envoy to the United States.

South African producers and manufacturers face multiple tariffs in terms of recent announcements by the United States president, Donald Trump.

South Africa’s attempts to negotiate a bilateral trade deal with the United States might be complicated by continuing hostility from US president Donald Trump.

The South African poultry industry intends applying for an end to a duty-free quota for chicken imports from the United States.

South African citrus producers and their workers are already feeling the effects of the new United States import tariffs.

South Africa should use its remaining term as leader of the G20 group of countries to help drive the African continent’s food security agenda.

South Africa’s farmers and manufacturers are being urged to diversify their exports in order to minimise the damage being done by the high tariff barriers President Donald Trump is erecting around America.

The South African government needs to move much faster to open export market opportunities for South African farmers, according to agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo.

While tariffs can serve as important tools in addressing unfair global trade practices and protecting national interests, experts caution against sweeping measures that may trigger economic instability or political fallout.

FairPlay founder Francois Baird has included the new US tariff policy in a look at global current affairs through an analogy with famous movies.

Chicken is positioned as the protein winner in the United States in 2025, according to an article in WATT Poultry.

Britain has confirmed that a sheep in Yorkshire contracted bird flu. The disease has been reported in a number of mammals around the world, and in multiple dairy cattle herds in the United States, but this is the first reported case of the virus infecting a sheep.

Agriculture minister John Steenhuisen has called for a “whole-of-society” approach to upgrade South Africa’s agricultural biosecurity and protect the country against animal and crop diseases.

The focus on biosecurity is echoed in a report in The Guardian focusing on the increasing number of bird flu reinfections at poultry operations in the United States.

The huge increase in the production of soybeans – together with maize, a key component of poultry feed – has been highlighted as a South African agricultural success story.

American poultry producers have been advised that bird flu is becoming a permanent feature in the United States and they should adjust their policies for this “new normal”.

United States customs officials are encountering a new phenomenon – increasing incidents of Americans smuggling eggs into the country because they are cheaper across the border.

South Africa’s agriculture department has confirmed that talks would be held with poultry industry leaders to overcome the impasse that is preventing the start of a vaccination programme against bird flu.

In addition to the discussions that might get a bird flu vaccination programme underway, FairPlay has urged agriculture minister John Steenhuisen to intervene on another bird flu control measure – the payment of compensation to farmers for chickens culled during bird flu outbreaks.

South Africa’s farmers are the most optimistic they have been for years, despite the threat of United States tariffs and the potential loss of duty-free access to US markets.