Agoa deal still to be confirmed

Poultry industry thinks SA has given in to US, writes Linda Ensor

THE government is awaiting formal confirmation that the conclusion of negotiations on market access for some US meats into South Africa has removed all obstacles to the restoration of its tariff- free benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa).

The agreement on market access for US poultry‚ beef and pork was reached between South African and US veterinarians in a late-night meeting on Wednesday.

That was after months of tortuous and often nail-biting negotiations that went beyond the timeframe laid down by US President Barack Obama.

The documents were signed by both parties on Thursday morning.

Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said all that was needed was confirmation by the US government that all the obstacles to South Africa’s agricultural products enjoying Agoa benefits had been removed.

“We have cracked the deal‚” he said. Obama gave notice in November that unless agreements were reached to allow US beef‚ pork and chicken imports by December 31‚ some South African agricultural products would lose their tariff-free access to the US under Agoa.

While Davies says the agreements achieved a balance between South Africa’s trade opportunities and the health and safety of its human and animal populations‚ South African Poultry Association chief executive Kevin Lovell says they would be disastrous for both.

He says South Africa has buckled under US pressure to grant too many concessions‚ throwing its health and safety standards to the winds. Unrestricted imports of pork shoulder cuts will be allowed‚ with the US agreeing to apply “mitigation measures”.

These include the removal of risk material before export to South Africa‚ par ticularly trichinella and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS).

“South African vets negotiated a list of pork cuts to ensure safe trade from some potential diseases‚” Davies said. But Lovell was adamant the mitigation measures would not protect South African pigs from contamination by PRRS‚ which had been eliminated from South Africa at huge cost.

South Africa dropped a requirement that cattle from US neighbours Mexico and Canada be quarantined for 90 days before being slaughtered for export to South Africa.

The government has accepted US assurances that imported livestock used for beef exports would comply with US domestic requirements.

South Africa backed down on the strict application of the salmonella testing procedures it applies to chicken imports from the rest of the world.

Pretoria had agreed to risk profile all consignments from the US for the first three months to establish a database and trend on the intensity of the sampling required.

Thereafter ‚ a revised statistically risk-based sampling plan would be implemented‚ Agriculture Minister Senzeni Zokwana said at a media briefing.

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the Department of Health would ensure meat entering the country was fit for human consumption.

US producers will be allowed to export 65 000 tons of bone-in chicken portions free of anti- dumping duty annually.