Behind closed doors, trade talks could cost South Africa’s poultry industry dearly. SAPA has issued a call for government to scrap the US chicken import quota and consult the sector before making further commitments.
The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) has called on the government to urgently revoke the US poultry import quota and to clarify its position in ongoing trade negotiations with Washington.
According to the Business Report, the request follows a media release by Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) Parks Tau on 29 July 2025, which referenced “agricultural market access by simplifying of US poultry exports under the 2016 tariff rate quota and unlock approximately $91 million in trade.”
SAPA says the statement offers no detail on what has been negotiated and, crucially, no consultation has taken place with the poultry industry despite its direct stake in the outcome. The association reminded Tau that at a meeting on 16 May 2025 it requested two key actions: direct engagement before any trade commitments, and the implementation of AGOA terms alongside the revocation of the US quota that allows 72 000 tonnes of chicken to enter South Africa free of anti-dumping duties.
Instead, SAPA says it has had “no response to any of its formal requests” and warns that the current arrangement “delivers one-sided benefits with no clear reciprocity,” leaving local producers at a disadvantage.
Calling for “immediate clarification” on the contents and commitments of the July 29 announcement, the association argues that the quota undermines South African producers and is no longer justifiable in the absence of fair-trade terms.
Izaak Breitenbach, CEO of SAPA’s broiler organisation, has previously warned about the wider impact of these developments, “While South African exporters continue to suffer from limited to no access to the US market, the import quota favouring US exporters for poultry remains in place, delivering one-sided benefits with no clear reciprocity. The industry is left in the dark regarding the content and implications of the reported trade agreement.”
With the 30% tariff on South African exports set to come into effect, the poultry industry says it stands ready to engage constructively with the DTIC and insists that future trade talks must be transparent and consultative.
