In a letter sent this week to new South African Ambassador, His Excellency Mininwa Johannes Mahlangu, National Chicken Council President Mike Brown said he is hopeful that the government of South Africa will immediately assist the South African Poultry Association (SAPA) in achieving a successful negotiation with the U.S. chicken industry that allows access to the South African marketplace prior to the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). AGOA will expire this year unless Congress votes to renew these privileges.
Brown noted that former South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool and Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies previously asked that the U.S. chicken industry try to reach a settlement of this issue through negotiation with SAPA. “We agreed to do this and have carefully kept our pledge,” Brown said. “Our industry has exchanged correspondence with SAPA leadership, and we have met with SAPA President Kevin Lovell. We have maintained the confidentiality of all exchanges and have been careful not to make any statements to the press or to the public that would in any way disparage South Africa or its poultry industry or jeopardize the chances of a successful resolution.
“It is with great displeasure that I report to you that our SAPA interlocutors have not conducted themselves with the same circumspection.”
The letter continued, “Apparently, Mr. Lovell has spent more of his time generating propaganda for the local press in South Africa than he has seriously proceeding in negotiations. Some comments Mr. Lovell has made are needlessly offensive; others are recklessly untrue; in either instance, they are highly injurious to the process of good faith negotiation that Ambassador Rasool and Minister Davies had urged.”
Brown said the U.S. chicken industry has attempted to negotiate a settlement with SAPA before the issue of AGOA renewal comes before Congress this year, but noted little progress has been made.
“While we believe that Ambassador Rasool and Minister Davies were acting in good faith when they requested the two industries to attempt to negotiate a resolution, ultimately the responsibility for providing fair access for U.S. poultry to the South African market rests with the government of South Africa. If Mr. Lovell and his SAPA colleagues are unwilling to involve themselves earnestly in these negotiations – and Mr. Lovell’s recent public comments seriously call his sincerity into question – then I would respectfully request the South African government to assume those responsibilities in this matter. The South African government has stood off to the side hoping that this problem could be resolved by the two industries; I would respectfully suggest it is now time for South Africa to actively re-involve itself in achieving a solution.”
Brown said that NCC and its members intend to be actively involved with their congressional representatives on the issue of AGOA renewal.
“Thus far, Mr. Lovell has invested more time in travel and hyperbole than he has at serious discussions to resolve the exclusion of U.S. chicken from the South African consumer. I am hopeful that the government of South Africa will immediately assist Mr. Lovell in achieving a successful negotiation with the U.S. chicken industry,” the letter concluded.
The letter can be read by clicking here.
