RAY SMUTS THE GOVERNMENT may have lifted its voluntary ban on all ostrich exports but farmers may have to hold their collective breath a while longer until the European Union – largest consumer of the product in all its facets - decides to lift its own import curb. This heartening news for an industry that has lost more than R600 million over the past 13 months - and many thousands of ostriches - comes after last month’s repeated extensive testing revealed no avian (bird) flu activity. This led to a declaration last Thursday by minister of agriculture Thoko Didiza that South Africa was free of reportable bird flu. Although the voluntary ban entirety in this country, Anton Kruger, general manager of the South African Ostrich Business Chamber, says it is now up to importing countries to decide whether they wish to accept meat from South Africa. Kobus Goosen, general manager of the Klein Karoo Group, says while the SA ban was in place European Union consumers could draw from ostrich supplies emanating from countries like Botswana, Israel and Australia. He told FTW a strategic decision had been taken five years ago not to place too much reliance on an export market due to the possibility of health problems arising. About 20% of ostrich meat is sold locally. According to statistics supplied by the Klein Karoo Group in August 2004, the export market was worth R1,2 billion.
