Trade movement founder lobbies for chicken tariffs

FairPlay trade movement founder Francis Baird last week argued the importance of limiting chicken imports into South Africa to level the trade field. Baird’s statement followed what he describes as a “desperate clucking campaign” by the Emerging Black Importers and Exporters South Africa (Ebiesa). Ebiesa chairperson Unati Speirs last week called for state intervention to block the South African Poultry Association (Sapa) application to increase poultry import tariffs to 82% until the Department
of Trade, Industry and Competition has completed and implemented its master plan for the local poultry industry.  “They are desperate because higher tariffs, particularly with the flood of Brazilian imports, will mean lower profits for importers who have made millions in recent years as the local industry has suffered and shed jobs,” Baird said. Unati defended the stance of poultry importers stating that the local industry can only meet 70% of local demand. According to Baird, farmers are only able to
trade in 70% of the market share. “Importers have managed to grab 30% of the local chicken market thanks to practising predatory trade with near impunity, pushing small producers out of production.” Baird argued that many local producers had the capacity because import streams had forced them to “sit on their potential”. “The purpose of the tariff application is to crack down on unfair trade and allow the local industry to invest and expand,” he concluded.