LETTER: Black procurement eclipses fuss over chicken imports

At last week’s meeting of the poultry master plan executive oversight committee — co-ordinated by the ministries of trade, industry & competition and agriculture, land reform & rural development — the following appeared in their committed action plan: “Discussion in progress for retailers’ commitment to minimum procurement spend from black producers, for example at least 40% of their poultry products procurement from black-owned entities”.

I think all clear-thinking South Africans would support reasonable moves to increase black ownership of the industry, but local poultry producers, who are well represented on this committee, would be committing suicide by giving up more than 40% of their business, never mind the huge job losses that would result. Yet that is what they are discussing. I have the document in question in my possession.

This makes any so-called threat from importers look like a drop in the ocean. At the same meeting, imports are shown to be about 13% of consumption, excluding mechanically deboned meat. So why the ongoing fuss over imports? Simply because it is a soft target?

Far bigger threats to the domestic industry’s survival loom ahead, as the above attests to. It would be akin to turkeys voting for Christmas.

For years local poultry spokespeople have trashed imports as being of inferior quality, yet when suggestions were made by importers for independent, identical tests on quality and safety of local and imported chicken, no response was forthcoming from local manufacturers. What are they really frightened of? It cannot be the imported 13% of consumption when they are apparently prepared to sacrifice more than 40% of their retail sales.

David Wolpert
Rivonia

JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Send your letter by email to letters@businesslive.co.za. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.