The South African government is encouraging beef producers to take advantage of the lifting of the 21-year import ban of South African meat products by Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia is seen as potentially lucrative market for South African red meat producers. Increased exports to Saudi Arabia helped boost South Africa’s beef exports in the first half of this year.
The ban was lifted last year after an inspection by Saudi authorities cleared South Africa’s veterinary processes and Halaal certification, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) said in a statement.
This has been followed up this year by a “virtual outward selling mission” by South African beef producers to potential Saudi customers.
In a media release, the DTIC said that the online session, attended by some 250 people, was hosted by the department, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, the South African embassy in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Arabia Food and Drug Authority, the South African National Halaal Authority, and the Red Meat Producers Organisation.
The lifting of the Saudi ban on South African meat was an outcome of the visit to the country by President Cyril Ramaphosa, said South Africa’s ambassador to that country, Mogobo Magabe. Ramaphosa had met Crown Price Mohammed bin Salman, and the two leaders had signed 15 agreements that included collaboration on agriculture, mining and tourism.
The Chief Director of Export Promotion and Marketing at the DTIC, Ms Zanele Sanni, said the government was mandated to help South African companies enhance their manufacturing capacity and find suitable export markets.
She expressed South Africa’s appreciation to the Saudi Arabian authorities for having already approved 12 South African companies to export beef to Saudi Arabia, and seven companies for lamb and mutton meat products.
“This demonstrates the high standards met by South African companies. It also confirms that the meat-producing sector in South Africa is highly developed and strategically positioned to meet the demand of the Saudi Arabian market,” she stated.
Beef for Saudi Arabia, but not chicken
While South Africa’s beef producers are celebrating the opening of the Saudi Arabia market, the country’s chicken producers are having less success.
Saudi Arabia is a high export priority for the poultry industry, but progress has been slow. Saudi authorities were due to inspect South African poultry facilities last year, but plans were derailed by bird flu outbreaks.
New visits need to be scheduled, and South African production methods approved, before exports of cooked chicken can get underway. No dates for the inspections have yet been set.
South Africa already exports limited quantities of chicken to the United Arab Emirates, but Saudi Arabia would be a far bigger prize.
