South Africa allows Brazilian poultry imports despite disease
The South African Poultry Association stated that existing veterinary controls are sufficient to protect local producers from Newcastle disease.
The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) supports the Department of Agriculture's decision to continue poultry imports from Brazil, even after a Newcastle disease outbreak in Santa Catarina. SAPA's Broiler Organisation CEO, Izaak Breitenbach, stated that the risk to South Africa's poultry industry is low if affected areas are excluded from exports and Brazil adheres to veterinary health certification. Brazil notified South Africa of the outbreak on October 20.
The Department of Agriculture confirmed that imports of fresh poultry meat, hatching eggs, and day-old chicks can proceed under existing veterinary health certificates, with specific disease-control conditions. These include sourcing fresh poultry meat from farms disease-free for six months and locating abattoirs outside infected zones. Supplying farms for hatching eggs and chicks must be disease-free for 12 months and outside infected zones.
South Africa imports about 18,000 tonnes of poultry meat from Brazil monthly, a volume Breitenbach does not expect to change significantly, nor does he anticipate an impact on domestic prices. SAPA also stated that South African producers do not depend on Brazilian hatching eggs or chicks, possessing adequate domestic breeder capacity. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is considered a greater concern than Newcastle disease.
Why it mattersSouth African consumers and producers face continued access to Brazilian poultry imports, with existing controls aimed at preventing disease spread.