THE US government has not yet blocked SA’s
agricultural products from receiving the duty free benefits of the
Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), Trade and Industry Minister
Rob Davies said on Monday.
The minister conceded, however, that SA was in "extra time"
with regard to meeting the December 31 deadline set by US President
Barack Obama. Mr Obama had said the negotiations to grant access of US
poultry, beef and pork onto the market should have been concluded by
then.
Further discussions between US and South African veterinarians are scheduled to take place on Wednesday. Mr Davies hoped that the US administration would allow more time for an agreement on the outstanding issues to be reached.
The main issue of disagreement is the acceptable level of salmonella in chicken and the procedures to be followed if it were to be detected during testing at ports of entry.
The minister addressed the media on the latest developments regarding SA’s status under the act. He was flanked by Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and Agriculture Minister Senzeni Zokwana.
Mr Motsoaledi emphasised the need to protect the health of the South African population.
Mr Davies said that if the US did suspend Agoa access on specific agricultural products this could be lifted if agreement was reached later. Discussions would continue regardless of whether or not the US cancelled SA’s benefits under the act.
Mr Davies stressed that SA was committed to finding solutions to allow the import of US poultry, beef and pork.
He said "considerable and discernable" progress had been made in the talks and that the US embassy agreed that this was so.
The rules for the administration of the quota for the import of 65,000 tons of bone-in chicken portions annually free of anti-dumping duties had been gazetted and a protocol for addressing avian flu had been concluded. Also, the differences over pork imports had been largely resolved as had the question of whether beef originating from outside the US could be included in US beef imports.
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| Rob Davies addresses the media and the public on government's decision on the African Growth and Opportunity Act on Monday in Pretoria. |
Further discussions between US and South African veterinarians are scheduled to take place on Wednesday. Mr Davies hoped that the US administration would allow more time for an agreement on the outstanding issues to be reached.
The main issue of disagreement is the acceptable level of salmonella in chicken and the procedures to be followed if it were to be detected during testing at ports of entry.
The minister addressed the media on the latest developments regarding SA’s status under the act. He was flanked by Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and Agriculture Minister Senzeni Zokwana.
Mr Motsoaledi emphasised the need to protect the health of the South African population.
Mr Davies said that if the US did suspend Agoa access on specific agricultural products this could be lifted if agreement was reached later. Discussions would continue regardless of whether or not the US cancelled SA’s benefits under the act.
Mr Davies stressed that SA was committed to finding solutions to allow the import of US poultry, beef and pork.
He said "considerable and discernable" progress had been made in the talks and that the US embassy agreed that this was so.
The rules for the administration of the quota for the import of 65,000 tons of bone-in chicken portions annually free of anti-dumping duties had been gazetted and a protocol for addressing avian flu had been concluded. Also, the differences over pork imports had been largely resolved as had the question of whether beef originating from outside the US could be included in US beef imports.
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