S Africa consumer uptake of US meats next Agoa ‘test’
Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies discusses the conclusion of South Africa's deal with the US to ensure continued participation in Agoa. Date recorded: 07.01.2016. Camerawork and videoediting: Nicholas Boyd
South Africa’s continued successful participation in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) agreement now relies on consumers’ uptake of US poultry, pork and beef.
South Africa and the US this week put to bed all long-standing disagreements over sanitary and phytosanitary matters surrounding the imports of the three meats, averting a possible partial suspension of the African nation’s Agoa duty-free trade benefits.
US Trade Representative Michael Froman issued a post-agreement statement saying that, while much celebration should be made of the progress made in resolving the outstanding technical issues that had risked South Africa’s benefits within the Agoa pact, the “true test” would be South African consumers’ purchase of the imported meats in local stores.
US Senators and Senate Chicken Caucus cochairpersons Johnny Isakson and Chris Coons welcomed the agreement, adding that the ultimate success would only be achieved when US poultry finally entered the South African market, which could occur within a month.
“South Africa’s decision to finally fulfil the obligations of the settlement reached last summer means that after more than 15 years of illegal antidumping duties and unfair trade policies, US poultry will finally be able to enter the South African market,” said Isakson and Coons.
Their comments followed the announcement this week by Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies that the South African market was now open to US meat imports after a balance had been struck between opening up the trade and mitigating animal and human health protocols to avoid any risk and uncertainty.
“We will be working to ensure that this final benchmark of entry of poultry is achieved so that South Africa continues to have the advantage of full Agoa benefits, including by working with the US and South African industries to expedite the shipment of eligible product as soon as possible,” Froman concluded.
Comments
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation