The gloves are off in pork export war

United States pork producers are leveraging the proposed African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) renewal negotiations to force South Africa to enable market access for exporters from the US. But local producers are hitting back at what they term ‘dirty tactics’. “The statement by the US National Pork Producers' Council (NPPC) that there is a ‘ban’ on pork imports is mischievous and misleading. Pork imports from any country are allowed but there are procedures in place to ensure a negligible risk of importing a disease – the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus – that South Africa has fought hard to combat,” said Peter Evans, veterinary liaison for the South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (Sappo). He told FTW that certain cuts of pork were exempt from these controls whereas others simply needed to be delivered to processing plants first as curing and cooking destroyed any pathogens, especially viruses. Jacobus Hoffman, general manager at Sappo, pointed out that South Africa was one of the few countries in the world that was free of the PRRS virus. “It cost the government millions of rands to combat the disease,” he said. The NPPC said in a letter to the US Senate Finance Committee on International Trade, Customs and Global Competitiveness that despite years of technical discussions between the US and SA governments, there had been “no effort” made to eliminate barriers to US trade in pork. “The restrictions imposed by South Africa are not based on legitimate food safety concerns,” reads the letter. This is hogwash, said Evans, citing several independent US and Canadian studies showing that the PRRS virus could survive in pork meat juices and frozen pork. “One fails to understand how the NPPC can state that there is no scientific evidence.” Another NPPC gripe is that US trade competitors – Canada and the European Union – have access to what it terms “this important and growing market” but that the US is ‘”on the outside looking in”. However, according to Evans, these countries have negotiated acceptable health declarations with SA’s state veterinary services. “The majority of SA’s pork imports are ribs and most of the rib cuts are exempt from PRRS control measures,” commented Evans. He added that while South Africa could prove its pork exports were free from African Swine Fever (ASF), the US still denied entry to SA pork exports. Furthermore, SA’s local demand for pork products is being sufficiently met, except for ribs and loin bacon, and an oversupply of pork would exert negative pressure on local pork prices. “SA pig farmers are amongst the most efficient in the world but a big concern is the level of subsidisation of agriculture in the US and Europe which means that often pork is imported at less than the cost of production in those countries. Obviously this will have serious negative impact on local pork producers,” said Evans. INSERT A big concern is the level of subsidisation of agriculture in the US and Europe which means that often pork is imported at less than the cost of production in those countries. – Peter Evans