A ban on US beef was introduced in 2003 in response to a BSE case, and access for US pork has been blocked since 2013, related to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) and trichinae.
"Heretofore we really had a hard time engaging South Africa, but we’re very pleased our government has initiated these talks," said USMEF president and chief executive Philip Seng. "We’re going to finally have some resolution to the PRRS and trichinae issues, which is really very important to us."
Last year, South Africa imported nearly 25,000 tonnes (t) of pork, primarily from the European Union. South Africa also imports pork from Canada and recently resumed imports from Brazil.
Australia is the largest supplier of beef to South Africa, supplying 19,402t in 2014, an increase of 36% over the previous year.
Seng said this fact was particularly pertinent when reopening negotiations. "With the paucity of cattle they have in Australia, this is an excellent opportunity for us to possibly move into a spot where we have always been quite active," he said.
Seng said if the US industry can regain access to South Africa, it will not only deliver benefits from that market but also expand the presence of US beef and pork in other markets in west and central Africa.
"When you go to South Africa and you look at the retail and you look at the foodservice industry there, it’s pretty sophisticated compared to some of the other areas that we’re looking at in West Africa," he said. "We see South Africa as being very important to us. It’s kind of like the role Japan used to play in Asia years ago. It’s just very helpful to have a beachhead, if you will, for our product."