Eskort CEO Arnold Prinsloo warns that South Africa’s meat industry is heading into a “perfect storm” that could drive prices out of reach for millions.
Speaking to BusinessTech, he said that a combination of beef shortages, a ban on chicken imports from Brazil, and the collapse of a major poultry producer has put the country’s food security at serious risk.
The warning comes after a confirmed outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease at a Gauteng feedlot owned by Karan Beef, South Africa’s largest beef producer.
The facility has been placed under quarantine, slashing slaughter volumes by nearly 75%.
“If the quarantine drags on or the disease spreads, beef supply will shrink and prices will rise,” Prinsloo said.
Ban on Brazilian chicken imports hits processed meat
Adding to the pressure is the recent ban on chicken imports from Brazil, imposed on 15 May after an avian flu outbreak.
According to The Citizen, Brazil supplies South Africa with 19 000 tonnes of mechanically deboned meat (MDM) per month. This meat is used in low-cost processed products like polony and Viennas.
Local producers can supply only 100 tonnes.
“Some smaller producers have already run out of raw materials. This ban alone threatens 400 million affordable meals per month,” Prinsloo warned.
Meanwhile, Daybreak Foods, one of South Africa’s largest poultry producers, has gone into business rescue and recently culled 350 000 chicks due to feed shortages.
“This will squeeze chicken supply even further and drive up prices across the board,” Prinsloo said.
Call for targeted import ban
Prinsloo, alongside industry groups like AMIE and the South African Meat Processors Association, has urged Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen to review the import ban.
They want the restriction narrowed to the affected region of Brazil rather than the entire country.
“This would preserve supply chains, protect public health, and safeguard thousands of jobs,” he said.
Prinsloo stressed the urgency of the situation.
“This triple threat livestock disease, import bans, and production failures demands immediate government action,” he said.
“If we wait until shelves are empty and prices skyrocket, it’ll be too late.”
Should government do more to protect South Africans from rising food costs and looming meat shortages?
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