South African poultry sector fears being sacrificed in Washington talks
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Business Day (South Africa)
South Africa's poultry sector fears the government will make concessions on imports of US chicken to protect the automotive and citrus industries. The head of the Sapa Broiler Organisation, Izaak Breitenbach, says producers are not being consulted, as the United States removes South Africa from AGOA on 1 January 2027, according to Business Day.
The South African poultry sector fears the government will sacrifice local chicken producers in its trade negotiations with Washington. Izaak Breitenbach, chief executive of the broiler producers' organisation of the South African Poultry Association (Sapa), says farmers are not being consulted, according to Business Day.
The most sensitive point is a quota of 74,000 tonnes of US chicken that can enter duty-free, thanks to a rebate that exempts it from anti-dumping duties. According to Sapa, this quota should be scrapped. Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau nevertheless kept this arrangement after the United States imposed a 12.5% tariff on South African exports, according to Mr Breitenbach.
This concern follows the announcement of South Africa's withdrawal from AGOA, the US African Growth and Opportunity Act trade programme. Washington will remove Pretoria from the programme on 1 January 2027, a decision announced on 2 November. In 2025, the country exported about $1.7 billion worth of goods under it.
