Relief as red meat export ban is lifted

While the agriculture minister Tina Joemat- Pettersson has told journalists ahead of her budget vote speech to parliament that the ban on SA red meat exports has been lifted, the export trade has not yet been officially notified of the end of the restrictions, according to Craig Campbell, divisional executive (operations) at major perishable export forwarders, Grindrod PCA. But he expressed himself “delighted” at the incipient lifting of the ban, telling FTW that a large number of attractive foreign markets for SA red meat would once again be open for trade. “A primary market for us is Africa,” he added, “with Gabon a very big destination – along with Nigeria, Zanzibar, Ethiopia and Angola.” Agriculture ministry officials also said that African states, including Botswana, Namibia and Zambia, were interested in purchasing the meat products, which posed “very limited” risk. Campbell also pointed out that Europe was once another market area of considerable intake for SA red meat, but it had declined in recent years. “We used to do quite a lot of exports into the likes of Switzerland three to four years ago, he told FTW, “but all the SA abattoirs did not comply with the European health regulations.” However, it is still a good market using abattoirs that do comply, and Grindrod PCA is aiming at reopening the export destinations left in that continent. “We will also be able to completely open up our market in the Middle East (Dubai and Kuwait),” he added. This market was initially reopened two weeks ago, after the State Veterinary Service officially lifted the quarantine it placed on Karan Beef because it found no sign of the foot and mouth disease virus there. All tests for the disease as required by the International Organisation for Animal Health had been negative, said Karan Beef veterinarian Dr Dirk Verwoerd. Karan Beef owns and operates the largest feedlot operation on the continent, and is the main supplier for Grindrod PCA’s export traffic to the Middle East. While SA has lifted restrictions on red meat exports, Joemat-Pettersson stressed at her press conference that the ban on the movement of live animals following the February outbreak of the highly contagious foot and mouth disease in northern KwaZulu Natal would remain in place. The disease causes lesions and crippling in cattle and sheep but is not harmful to humans. But this lifting of the red meat export ban is a relief for SA beef farmers as well as export agents, as the outbreak held serious financial implications for the livestock industry, Agri SA said. “It has also exposed various shortcomings in the veterinary infrastructure and service delivery,” Agri SA president Johannes Möller said in a statement.