Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, Izaak Breitenbach, CEO of SAPA’s Broiler Organisation, said the association considered the threat low, provided that the affected state was prevented from exporting to South Africa and Brazil complied with the agreed veterinary certification requirements.
According to a statement from the Department of Agriculture (DoA) on 28 October, Brazil notified South Africa of the outbreak on 20 October.
The DoA said existing veterinary health certificates allowed trade in fresh poultry meat, hatching eggs, and day-old chicks to continue during a NCD outbreak, subject to specific conditions.
Breitenbach added that SAPA believes these requirements adequately protect the South African poultry flock, and the association has not requested additional safeguards.
No price impact expected
South Africa imports approximately 18 000t of poultry meat from Brazil each month, according to Breitenbach. He could not provide a figure for the volume originating in Santa Catarina.
“Only Santa Catarina is banned from exporting to South Africa, and I don’t believe it will impact import volumes or prices,” he said.
The DoA’s statement did not explicitly announce a ban covering the whole of Santa Catarina. Instead, it set out eligibility requirements for supplying farms, abattoirs, and cutting plants.
Under these conditions, fresh poultry meat must originate from premises where no NCD cases have occurred during the preceding six months, and within a 10km radius. Abattoirs and cutting plants must also be outside a NCD-infected zone.
Hatching eggs and day-old chicks must come from farms and relevant facilities that are outside an infected zone and have been free of the disease for the preceding 12 months.
“South Africa has requested that Brazil’s veterinary authorities ensure that all consignments intended for export to South Africa comply with the relevant certification requirements,” the DoA said.
Breitenbach said South African producers do not import hatching eggs or day-old chicks from Brazil, adding that the country has sufficient breeder hens to maintain normal production.
Vaccination underpins local protection
Vaccination is central to the local industry’s protection against NCD.
“We vaccinate all broiler chickens and long-living birds against NCD,” he said, adding that SAPA did not expect problems among either large or small producers.
Asked what developments would warrant tighter import restrictions, Breitenbach identified avian influenza as the association’s main concern.
“Our big concern is bird flu, and those restrictions are more severe to protect South Africa from importing the disease,” he explained.
The DoA said the certification measures allow trade to continue while safeguarding animal health in South Africa.
