Poultry sector calls for more protection
There is a chicken sector crisis, says Rob Davies, and we have plans to manage it
Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies, who in December increased tariffs on imported chicken portions, says the government is aware of the crisis facing the poultry industry and is tackling it on various fronts. The minister has just approved a provisional 13.9% safeguard duty on European bone-in chicken imported in December in terms of SA’s economic partnership agreement with the EU. The latest duty comes amid another comprehensive probe by the International Trade Administration Commission (Itac). Davies said in an interview on Sunday that his department was aware of the influx of bone-in portion chicken portions, particularly from the EU and Brazil, and was considering designating chicken as one of the products that government departments and state entities would be required to procure locally. The department has a dedicated unit focused on the poultry industry. In addition, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is involved in a number of projects to support local...
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