FairPlay has again questioned the AMIE’s commitment to poultry exports, asking why the association speaks publicly about red-meat exports while allegedly remaining “shy” about chicken.
AMIE agrees that expanding poultry exports is essential. With limited growth available in the domestic market, and with most existing exports going to neighbouring countries; the Middle East, the United Kingdom and the European Union represent important expansion opportunities for the industry.
Exporters can identify customers, develop distribution channels and help address logistics. However, they cannot conduct state veterinary inspections, approve residue-monitoring programmes, negotiate official health certificates, or provide foreign authorities with the government assurances needed to open a market.
Commercial readiness is not the same as market access. This distinction was made clearly during FairPlay’s own recent webinar. Poultry producers identified the immediate constraints as delays in foreign inspections and country approvals, insufficient state veterinary capacity, certification problems, avian-influenza compartmentalisation and inadequate government-to-government follow-through.
Producers themselves called for faster action from the departments of Agriculture, Trade and Industry, and International Relations. Reporting on the webinar specifically noted that the central concern was the state’s ability to enforce importing countries’ requirements.
AMIE does not suggest that it has no responsibility. It is a signatory to the Poultry Master Plan and accepts its role in supporting market identification, export agreements, regulatory alignment and trade facilitation. The DTIC’s own progress report recorded that AMIE and SAPA jointly requested the inclusion of poultry in South Africa’s bilateral engagement with Saudi Arabia.
AMIE has also engaged government on deficiencies in the country’s animal-health and certification systems.
Its recent cooperation agreement with the South African Freight and Logistics Association (SFALA) covers port operations, border processes, veterinary and sanitary requirements, market access, and supply-chain resilience — the very issues that affect poultry as well as red-meat exports.
FairPlay’s latest article acknowledges this agreement but simply assumes that its benefits will not extend to poultry.
Export readiness requires action from every participant. Producers must demonstrate facility, product, biosecurity and traceability compliance. AMIE and its members can provide market intelligence, commercial networks and trade facilitation, while government must negotiate and maintain the necessary protocols, certification systems and government-to-government relationships.
None of these functions can substitute for another.
Instead of recycling accusations, FairPlay should join AMIE and the poultry industry in calling for a time-bound export delivery plan.
That plan should identify priority markets, allocate responsibilities, and publish progress on inspections, veterinary certificates, residue programmes, facility approvals and outstanding diplomatic engagements.
Paul Matthew, CEO of AMIE, says: “South Africa’s poultry export ambitions will not be achieved through industry infighting. They require accountable government, export-ready producers and coordinated action across the entire meat-trade value chain.”
