On Monday, the first shipment of U.S. chicken arrived in South Africa in more than 15 years, marking the resolution of a long-standing stalemate between South Africa and the United States over poultry imports. South Africa imposed prohibitive anti-dumping duties on imports of U.S. bone-in chicken cuts in 2000, effectively closing the door on its market to U.S. chicken.
Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and John Isakson (R-GA), co-chairs of the Senate Chicken Caucus, have been pressuring the South African government for more than a year to end the anti-dumping duties and unfair food safety and health trade policies on U.S. poultry. Senators Coons and Isakson also met on numerous occasions with South African officials to resolve the issue over a number of years.
“Gaining market access in South Africa was a prime example of government working at its finest, and both Senator Coons, Isakson and Ambassador Froman and the administration are to be commended for their efforts and tireless work,” said NCC president Mike Brown.
“With every one out of five pounds of US chicken destined for export, increasing market access is essential for the future growth of the industry. Coupled with $1 billion in export losses last year due to avian flu bans, every market is critical for us,” Brown said. “The biggest winners are the South African people who now have more choices when it comes to affordable protein sources.”
Dubbed the ‘chicken wars’, the issue of South Africa’s removal of barriers to U.S. poultry imports to the country threatened to derail South Africa’s participation in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). This week’s news is the outcome of a June 2015 agreement reached in Paris between the United States, including the National Chicken Council, and South Africa to eliminate longstanding barrier to U.S. poultry imports.
However, since that 2015 settlement was agreed upon, South Africa repeatedly failed to fulfill the obligations agreed upon in Paris. In response to the delays, Senators Coons and Isakson called on South Africa to act quickly to address the unresolved issues.
In November 2015, President Obama issued a 60-day notice of intent to suspend AGOA benefits for South Africa’s agricultural products if South Africa failed to eliminate trade barriers. The notice expired in January 4, 2016, but shortly after South Africa announced it would comply with the terms of the settlement.
“Today’s news is the result of years of hard work and negotiations led by our poultry producers and U.S. trade official, and we are proud to have also played a part. This is a significant win for poultry farmers in Delaware and Georgia,” Senators Coons and Isakson said.
