Agoa provides jobs

SIR — Songezo Zibi was right to be concerned (Unembargoed, November 9) over SA’s potential loss of African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) benefits. It is important to note that Mr Zibi’s figure of 51.6% of domestic poultry imports sourced from Brazil is inflated, as it includes mechanically deboned meat (MDM). MDM is a chicken paste that is not manufactured in SA. Therefore, if one removes MDM, one will find that most of our imported poultry actually comes from the European Union (EU).

Kevin Lovell’s letter (10 November) seems to miss the major point here; tens of thousands of local jobs are at risk if Agoa is withdrawn. Sadly, domestic poultry magnates still cannot grasp that a basic tenet of a modern economy is healthy competition.

Last year, thanks to Agoa, SA exported more than R23bn worth of cars to the US, supporting 30,000 workers. For people concerned with protecting our economy, namely our government and Mr Lovell, that’s a lot of jobs to play with.

The International Trade Administration Commission of SA has proposed quota regulations for US chicken imports with a comment deadline of Friday. These regulations are so vague, and so complex, that despite US warnings, the SA Poultry Association’s hand is at play.

The Department of Trade and Industry is not the only space in the government in which the association has influence. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ bungled brining regulations last month comes to mind. While local poultry producers continue to pump individually quick frozen chicken with more than 40% brine solution, 99% of imported poultry meat is brine-free.

SA will likely get its act together over Agoa, but we have embarrassed ourselves by fumbling over a simple opportunity to advance fair trade, consumer choice and job creation.

David Wolpert

CEO, Association of Meat Importers and Exporters of SA