RIGHT OF REPLY

WITHOUT debating the merits of Michael Bagraim’s sector-determinant minimum wage proposal (“Higher wages kill jobs in their wake”, Business Report, December 5), it is unfortunate that he links job losses in the poultry industry to high labour costs. This is simply not the case.

Local poultry producers can compete robustly against whole-bird imports from almost anywhere in the world, and where we cannot it is because of the local costs of maize and soya beans. What we cannot match are thousands of tons of bone-in portions dumped on our shores at prices far below the cost of production.

The real issue is how many jobs have been created by importers whose activities are primarily responsible for the 1 350 people retrenched at RCL Foods?

Imports are at record volumes never before seen in our history, and if allowed to continue unchecked will lead to many more jobs lost and businesses destroyed. KEVIN LOVELL THE SA POULTRY ASSOCIATION

FEATHERS have been flying in the poultry industry with imports arriving on our shores and forcing local producers to cut production and lay off staff.

I’d like to ask Mr David Wolpert one question: How many jobs have the importers created? I doubt less than 100.

Some imported products are selling for R12.70/kg and our local production costs are in the vicinity or R18/kg.

How can a local industry meet those costs? I’ve been in the industry for about 30 years and have been farming, growing and processing chickens and tried to make a living in the poultry industry, but could not survive and had to close shop.

I’ve visited overseas markets and neighbouring countries.

What should concern us as South Africans is to improve our industries and expand by encouraging more farmers and employing more people.

Most of our neighbouring African countries have stopped or restricted imports of chicken in order to build up their own poultry business and create jobs.

Poultry prices worldwide have an advantage over South Africa.

Brazil has two maize harvests and good rainfall… It is sad that the importers and members of the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters, who only employ a handful of people compared with the millions employed by the local poultry and allied industries, are not interested in the future of our wonderful country.

Most of our importers have overseas interests and look for every excuse to allow the authorities to open the floodgates and destroy a very viable local food source.

We have to keep the farmers in the nation to provide food. Our textile, shoe and other industries have been closed because China, India, Europe and the US have entered our markets with subsidised products. K LAUWRENS CONCERNED CONSUMER