NFP slams chicken imports

CREDIT: THINKSTOCK

CREDIT: THINKSTOCK

Published Jan 11, 2017

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Johannesburg –

The National Freedom Party is calling for an end to the importation of

chickens.

This comes as

media reports emerged that some 3 500 workers in the chicken farming

industry will be retrenched this year.

Several chicken

companies have been battling as a result of chickens being imported from

countries such as the US as they are not able to effectively compete.

Under the

African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), South Africa agreed to allow

chickens to be imported into the country so it can benefit from trade benefits

with the US.

When SA lifted

the barriers to US poultry, beef and pork imports, the US government said this

would likely increase the sales of those products by about $160 million a year.

Read also:  Chicken imports damage Astral

Mike Brown,

President of the US National Chicken Council, said last March that said close to

$100 million of that would be chicken exports.

In a statement,

the political party said it is government’s responsibility to ensure the South

African public is aware of the ramifications of the imports, adding that

government should be supporting local businesses.

“As the party,

we urge people to support local businesses and do away with imported chickens

in order to save our fellow South Africa’s jobs in poultry industry.”

Spokesman Sabelo

Sigudu argues in the statement, issued under his name, that the chickens are

genetically modified and can be “poisonous”.

BUSINESS REPORT

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