There is a risk of the UK dumping its poultry products on South Africa in the event of a no-deal Brexit, according to the FairPlay Movement.
The non-profit organisation – which lobbies against what it terms “predatory trade practices” – issued this warning as Britain seeks a delay on the 29 March deadline to exit the European Union (EU).
“South Africa may have to guard against a renewed flood of ‘dark meat’ – mainly leg quarters, drumsticks and thighs of the poultry products – as a lot of the UK’s dark meat currently goes to EU markets,” said FairPlay founder Francois Baird, explaining that if Britain crashes out of the EU without a negotiated exit deal, these markets could close and UK producers would be looking for alternative export opportunities.
He said that as “part of a negotiated fair deal”, UK exports of dark chicken meat should be limited or subject to an agreed quota. The silver lining, added Baird, is that there could also be an opportunity for South Africa to export poultry to the UK.
“South Africa’s poultry products are cheaper than those in any EU countries, but because of the EU’s sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, South African poultry has been blocked from the market. Once the UK leaves the EU, it presents a new market for South Africa’s poultry exports.”
He said South Africa should be looking to negotiate a deal with the UK to ensure that SPS measures are not unfairly used to keep its chicken out of UK shops.
