Warning over food shortages and job losses in South Africa

Following the announcement from the Department of Agriculture that it would lift a ban on chicken imports from parts of Brazil, the countries have hit an impasse, keeping the flow of mechanically deboned meat (MDM) blocked.

According to the South African Meat Processors Association (SAMPA), Brazil and South Africa have hit a technical impasse over the required import certificate, which means the ban from mid-May is still in effect.

South Africa blocked the import of chicken from Brazil in May 2025 following an outbreak of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), or avian flu.

However, following industry backlash, the Department of Agriculture eased its restrictions partially by allowing the import of meat from Brazil’s provinces that were unaffected by the outbreak.

The ban was partially lifted on 19 June, but SAMPA said Brazil authorities’ refusal to accept the proposed wording on South Africa’s Import Health Certificate means Brazil poultry is still unavailable to importers and manufacturers over a week later.

This has left meat producers in a panic, as current supplies of MDM are quickly running out.

“South Africa does not produce MDM in any significant quantity and so is forced to import the commodity,” SMAPA said.

“Brazil is the largest producer of MDM in the world, with 95% of MDM imported in the last 12 years coming from Brazil.”

MDM is used to manufacture polony, viennas, Russians, braai wors, bangers, frozen burgers, meat pies, and corned meat, among other things.

These products are usually the primary source of affordable protein for many South Africans, especially lower LSM households, who stand to suffer the most from shortages.

Food security is still at risk

SAMPA joined several other meat production companies like Eskort in warning the government that losing access to MDM imports meant food security in South Africa was at risk.

It said that, in addition to food shortages and rising food prices, the ban also risks tens of thousands of jobs. The meat processing industry employs over 125,000 people.

“Our members have not received stock of MDM for almost two months. Some of our processors had been forced to lay off staff because factories were silent,” SAMPA said.

“The fact that we still can’t import MDM is disastrous for our members. Even if stock is shipped immediately, we will most likely only receive it in August, which means that factories have lain idle for three months.”

The MDM shortage comes at the same time that foot-and-mouth disease was detected at South Africa’s biggest beef feedlot, and a wider blow to the local poultry sector through the collapse of DayBreak Foods.

The combination of a reduced beef supply, the ban on Brazilian chicken imports, and the collapse of DayBreak will likely result in much higher meat prices in South Africa.

The association said that affordable protein stocks in the country are now critically low and have already resulted in a rise in food prices, with worse to come.

Stats SA’s CPI data for May showed that meat prices were already starting to show upward pressure as a result of the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

“We are urgently calling on Brazil and South Africa to find a solution to this impasse before food prices rise even more, more jobs are lost, and more businesses are closed,” it said.

Issued on BusinessTech by Staff Writer | https://businesstech.co.za/news/business/829538/warning-over-food-shortages-and-job-losses-in-south-africa/