SA to consider EU poultry-import safeguard measures

Johannesburg - South Africa is considering safeguard measures on imports of frozen bone-in portions of chicken from European Union member states.

Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel has instructed the nation’s International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) to investigate an application by the South African Poultry Association to impose measures in terms of article 16 of an agreement on trade, development and cooperation with the EU, ITAC said in the Government Gazette on Friday.

The section states that if imports of products cause or threaten to cause disturbance in the markets of the other party, the Cooperation Council, which oversees the implementation of the trade deal, will consider the matter to find a solution.

The imports of bone-in chicken portions “from the EU are threatening to cause a serious disturbance in the South African market,” SAPA said, according to the Government Gazette.

South Africa imposed anti-dumping duties of 3.9% to 73% on imports of frozen bone-in chicken from some companies in Germany, the Netherlands and the UK last year.

In December, the government published regulations allowing for an annual quota of 65 000 metric tonnes of bone-in poultry portions not subjected to anti-dumping duties from the US as part of an agreement to ensure the nation maintains preferential access for its farm goods to the world’s largest economy.