September 29, 2010

South African meat producers tackle livestock exportation

Namibian meat producers and other stakeholders have agreed with South Africa that proper border control is necessary for healthy trade relations in meat and meat products between the two countries.

The Agri Inspec representative stated that their investigations stretch from the border up to the feedlot and that no investigations were made into the Namibian system, which is handled by the Meat Board of Namibia, veterinary services and the Namibian customs.

The South African Red Meat industry acknowledged that Namibian livestock and meat always formed an integral part of the supply of meat and meat products into South Africa and that illegalities may not cause any market distortion.

Consensus was reached that absurdities do take place, but on a limited scale. It was agreed that organisations and individuals who are guilty of absurdities must be prosecuted.

The biggest problems centred around under-declarations of values and numbers of livestock; these impacts on VAT payments in South Africa.

The following proposal was made in terms of the way forward and the possible rectification of problems: the proper definition of classes of livestock-to ensure that the whole import process is simple and streamlined to create standard values for the different classes of livestock, which include cattle and the regular adoption of these values. The South African Meat Industry Forum will discuss the proposed system with SARS and the Department of Agriculture for possible implementation

It was agreed that communication between the two industries must take place regularly and that all ro-players must give their full cooperation to keep trade relations between the red meat industries of the two countries on a healthy basis.