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Despite continuing to face legal actions aimed at achieving a permanent halt of shipboard livestock exports from South Africa, Kuwaiti company, Al Mawashi, has indicated that it is already planning another such shipment in the first quarter of 2021.

The National Council for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty for Animals (NSPCA) has called for a complete ban of livestock exports via sea following the discovery of the abhorrent condition in which animals were kept on the Al Kuwait, which docked in Cape Town last week to load feed on its way from Brazil to Iraq.

Export markets offer potentially lucrative trade opportunities for South Africa’s red meat industry. However, to profit fully from such opportunities, stakeholders in the industry need to take careful note of the demands of consumers in importing countries. Dr Frikkie Maré, an agricultural economist with in-depth knowledge of the red meat value chain, explains what some of these are.

The support expressed by the farming sector, and in particular the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation’s (RPO), for the live export of sheep by sea, has been met with sharp criticism from the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA).

The Grahamstown High Court recently approved an urgent interim interdict to temporarily ban livestock exports by sea from South Africa until at least 16 July.

Al Mawashi, which has exported approximately 120 000 sheep aboard ship from South Africa to Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates in two shipments since October 2019, will on 6 August contest a legal bid by the National Council of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) to have further such exports permanently banned, allegedly due to various animal health and welfare violations before, during and after the shipments.

The South African Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO) has welcomed today’s (25 August) judgment by the Grahamstown High Court to permit the exporting of up to 56 000 live sheep in a single shipment by sea from the East London Harbour.

An inspection that was carried out on behalf of the Red Meat Industry Forum (RMIF) found that the feedlot facilities being used to keep sheep destined for live export by sea, and the ship that will be used to transport the animals to Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, were in compliance with World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) standards for animal health and welfare.

A potential ban on livestock exports from South Africa by ship would hamstring efforts to grow the country’s developing animal production sector, and will also likely lead to an oversupply of red meat locally.

Eastern Cape and national state veterinary authorities and department of agriculture officials will not allow the planned export of approximately 61 000 live sheep to Kuwait via ship until they are satisfied all welfare requirements are met before and during the voyage.

Interested parties have until 30 April to submit written comments on draft guidelines aimed at enhancing the ethical transportation of livestock from South Africa by sea.