Deal reached to end South African ban on US poultry exports

The United States and South Africa on Friday reached an agreement opening up the market to American poultry exports, ending a 15-year trade dispute. 

Sens. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.), who had pressured the Obama administration for nearly a year, announced the deal that will end a 100 percent tariff on U.S. chicken that South Africa implemented back in 2000. 

{mosads}The high tariffs had essentially shut the U.S. poultry industry out of that market. 

“We are pleased that significant progress was made between the U.S. and South African chicken industries that will allow U.S. chicken products access to South Africa after being blocked from that market for the past 15 years,” the senators said. 

Isakson and Coons called the agreement a major win for U.S. poultry farmers. 

“Poultry farmers in Georgia, Delaware and across the country should be able to compete on a level playing field in markets around the world, but for too long, that hasn’t been the case in South Africa,” the senators said.

U.S. exports are expected to start heading to South Africa by the end of the year.

The deal, worked out over the past two days in Paris, also seals an agreement on remaining sanitary issues related to poultry, pork and beef. 

Isakson and Coons, co-chairmen of the Senate Chicken Caucus, had already added language in the reauthorization of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) requiring the U.S. Trade Representative to conduct reviews of South Africa’s trade practices, specifically anti-dumping duties on U.S. poultry.

That measure passed the Senate last month and is expected to sail through the House.