The SA Poultry Association believes the local poultry industry can prosper, create jobs, provide affordable food for SA consumers and contribute towards economic growth only if imports of chicken products are curtailed or limitedThe obvious way to do this, the authors of the article imply, is through tariff interventions or restrictions.We agree completely that domestic production needs to be prioritised and developed, but we do not agree that limiting or restricting imports is the way to do it.
At the moment the industry is dominated by five large producers, who together control 75% of the market. Cutting imports will only increase their hegemony. As the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters we are also part of this plan. Our overriding goal is not to limit imports, but to expand exports.