Stick to the facts

Perhaps Paul Matthew cannot read for meaning (“Collaborative, productive view will help ensure food security in SA”, May 25). Chicken importers clearly want more imports and don’t like the imminent antidumping duties, which would cut their profits. But Matthew should stick to the facts.

Ostensibly promoting food security, he states that last December’s shortage of chicken for fast food outlets was caused by higher import tariffs. He must have misunderstood the many news reports in which the poultry industry explained that tariffs had nothing to do with that temporary shortage.

The problem was load-shedding. Power cuts disrupted the slaughter schedule. Delays meant the chickens grew bigger than the maximum weight specified by fast food outlets.

Matthew talks of food security, but his real target is antidumping duties due to be imposed in August on chicken imports from Brazil and four EU countries.

These were suspended for a year last August, and Matthew has urged the government to delay further rather than bring them into force.

That is what is behind his attack on what he likes to call “short-term protectionist measures”.

Perhaps he misunderstood the World Trade Organisation rules that make antidumping duties a specific remedy for the harm done by trade dumping. Nothing to do with protectionism.

Finally, Matthew blames the poultry industry for the delay in getting chicken exports going to the EU. Maybe he failed to understand many reports that the main reason for the delay is the acute shortage of state veterinarians needed for health certification of exports. And now the EU has delayed the process further by changing its rules.

If Matthew needs help, he has only to ask.

Francois Baird Founder, FairPlay