Meeting the March 15 deadline for the import of US poultry into the South African market at the risk of losing some of the country’s duty-free benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), is a key priority for all agricultural industry stakeholders, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Senzeni Zokwana said in a statement on Thursday.

In a Presidential Proclamation issued by the White House on January 11, US President Barack Obama said the application of duty-free treatment for all Agoa-eligible goods in the agricultural sector from South Africa would be suspended effective March 15, stating that restriction was “more effective” than termination in promoting compliance by South Africa.

Zokwana’s assurances that the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries was committed to ensuring that the March deadline was met, followed a meeting with representatives from the Red Meat Industry Forum, the Emerging Red Meat Producers Organisation, the South African Pork Producers Organisation, the South African Poultry Association, African Farmers of South Africa, Agri SA and the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters.

However, South Africa’s commitment to start importing US poultry was not welcomed by all, with Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) condemning the US’s decision to set the March deadline, stating that this was an “unconcealed act of political bullying and economic blackmail”.

It said in a statement that the mutually beneficial relations between South Africa and the US should not be abused. “We are not a dumping site of the world’s big economies.

“The US should not take advantage of its economic and political strength over South Africa by forcing us to sacrifice our fragile economic sectors or thousands of badly needed jobs.

“We do believe that there is space for the two sides to find each other. We are reassured by the hard work and commitment shown by our Department of Trade and Industry to finding a mutually beneficial deal with the US,” the organisation said.

Further, Cosatu noted that the US and European agricultural sectors were heavily subsidised by their governments and called on government to support the industry through ensuring that farmworkers could become partners and co-owners of farms and the land.