Latest news with #Eskort
The South African
18-06-2025
- Business
- The South African
SA partially lifts Brazil poultry ban amid meat shortage fears
The Department of Agriculture has announced a partial lifting of the ban on poultry imports from Brazil, in a move expected to ease mounting pressure on South Africa's food security. The ban imposed in mid-May following an avian flu outbreak in Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul region, had threatened to disrupt the supply of low-cost processed meats and trigger further increases in meat prices. Mechanically deboned meat (MDM), which South Africa relies on Brazil to supply, was one of the hardest-hit products. Affordable processed meats such as polony, viennas, russians and braaiwors rely on MDM as a key ingredient. South Africa typically imports around 19 000 tonnes of MDM from Brazil each month. Following the ban, local producers warned of serious consequences. According to BusinessTech , industry leaders, including Eskort and the South African Meat Processors Association (SAMPA), said the suspension threatened to remove budget meat options from the market, particularly affecting low-income households. Authorities recently detected foot-and-mouth disease at the country's largest beef feedlot, while poultry producer DayBreak Foods collapsed. Together, these developments have caused disruption to meat supply chains, with Stats SA's latest inflation data showing upward pressure on meat prices. Industry groups warned that even a short disruption in MDM imports would force processors to halt operations and risk significant job losses. Eskort stated that a supply gap of four to six weeks would leave many facilities idle for more than two months, adding to economic and social instability. In response to industry pleas, the Department of Agriculture has agreed to partially lift the ban, effective from 19 June. Imports from Brazilian states not affected by the avian flu outbreak in Rio Grande do Sul will now be allowed. Meat processors welcomed the decision. SAMPA said the move would avert major shortages of affordable protein and help secure jobs in the sector. 'This decision could not have come at a more critical time. South Africa has been losing over 100 million meals per week due to the ban,' industry representatives said. Eskort noted that processors will take time to recover and that the disruption will have knock-on effects along the supply chain. 'This is not only a supply chain crisis, but also a pending socio-economic and political disaster,' the group said. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
06-06-2025
- Business
- The South African
Meat prices set to surge amid SA supply crisis
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. 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. 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.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
06-06-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Rising meat costs will punish the poor
With imports halted and diseases spreading, meat prices are set to rise, putting added strain on households already battling food insecurity. How is it that the head of a company specialising in pork products should go into bat on behalf of the poultry sector as a meat supply crisis engulfs our country? It sounds odd, but as Eskort CEO Arnold Prinsloo explains it, you can see the logic. The government has banned the importation of chickens from Brazil, because of the outbreak of avian flu in certain parts of that country. What that means is that we are no longer importing the estimated 19 000 tons of mechanically deboned meat (MDM), which is a vital component of processed meats such as polony, of which Eskort is one of a number of suppliers. The ban on imports comes as two other blows have hit meat supplies. First, there was a crisis at Daybreak Foods, one of South Africa's largest integrated poultry producers, which has entered business rescue after being forced to cull 350 000 starving chicks. ALSO READ: Tiger Brands to make interim advance payments to listeriosis victims as class action continues Then came the news this week that foot-and-mouth disease had been detected at a Gauteng feedlot owned by Karan Beef. Prinsloo reckons all of this combined can lead to hikes in the price of meat across all categories and, because the cheaper processed meats rely on MDM, it could be the poor who are hardest hit. The meat industry, along with farmers' groups, are upset at the government, specifically for its inaction. The concern among farmer's organisations is that the authorities did not act quickly enough to contain the foot-and-mouth outbreak, with the result that many cattle farmers could face financial ruin as they will be banned from moving or selling their stock. The meat industry wants the government to immediately amend the Brazilian import ban so that it applies to only those areas in that country actually affected by bird flu. Unless urgent action is taken, we face a cold, hungry winter. NOW READ: Soweto's smoked meat master makes waves
IOL News
29-05-2025
- Health
- IOL News
South Africa faces poultry supply concerns amid Brazilian import ban
Farming associations and agricultural associations have raised concern about the impact of the Department of Agriculture's ban on chicken from Brazil due to an avian influenza outbreak. Image: supplied South Africa is grappling with potential food insecurity this winter after the Department of Agriculture's has banned chicken from Brazil due to an avian influenza outbreak. The ban, effective since May 15, 2023, halts imports of live poultry, eggs, and fresh or frozen poultry meat, raising alarms over the supply of mechanically deboned meat (MDM) and poultry offal critical for affordable processed meats like polony, viennas, and sausages. The Association of Meat Importers and Exporters warned on Wednesday of serious economic and food insecurity consequences for South Africa as a result of the recent outbreak of Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Brazil. 'Local producers cannot, and will not be able to meet the gap in supply of poultry offal (feet, gizzards, and skins) and MDM, driving up prices and threatening the affordability and accessibility of basic protein for millions,' it said. Georg Southey, the manager at Merlog Foods, said on Wednesday said there is likely to be a shortage of 400 million meals per month, which equates to seven meals per person per month across the country. Two weeks of import shipments have already been wasted, and a further 100 million meals will be lost every week if the government continues with business as usual. Southey added that the country has only 2.5 weeks of food reserves in some key categories. 'This will have devastating consequences for food security and exacerbate a dreadful reality that estimates suggest over 30% of South African households in at least four provinces already have inadequate food and often go hungry,' he added. Video Player is loading. 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Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Arnold Prinsloo, CEO of meat producer Eskort, noted that MDM from Brazil is used by Eskort and its competitors to make polony, viennas, Russians, and Braaiwors. "Production lines will come to a standstill before the end of June if the ban on Brazilian chicken is not lifted. This will deprive South Africa's most vulnerable citizens of more than 400 million low-cost meals per month,' he said. Prinsloo added that vulnerable families and thousands of school feeding schemes rely heavily on polony, and there is a real danger of widespread hunger and malnutrition if Eskort and its competitors cannot sustain supplies. 'The Department of Agriculture, which imposed the Brazil ban on 15 May, should follow the example of Namibia and Mozambique by narrowing the ban to chicken from Rio Grande do Sul, the only state affected by avian flu. The rest of Brazil can be regarded as safe, and a pragmatic and proactive decision to accept imports on that basis will go a long way to heading off the looming crisis in South Africa.' However, Izaak Breitenbach, the CEO of the South African Poultry Association, offered a counterpoint, suggesting the impact on poultry meat supply may be overstated. 'South Africa imports a reduced volume of chicken meat from Brazil, and local production can ramp up quickly, especially as demand typically dips this time of year,' Breitenbach said. While acknowledging a shortage of MDM, which is predominantly imported from Brazil, he noted that South Africa produces minimal MDM domestically and may shift imports to countries like Thailand. 'There will not be a shortage of chicken meat, but MDM supply will be constrained,' he clarified. Investment analyst Anthony Clark from Smalltalkdaily Research said that America and Europe have also reported avian influenza outbreaks. 'Brazil is the biggest exporter of poultry products into South Africa. They have a market share of around 80%, so it is concerning that there is a ban on their products. This means that there is very little chicken coming into this country. However, products that are coming in from Brazil are MDM which goes into processed meat such as polony, viennas, and Russians. The other products that are still coming in from Brazil are chicken offals such as carcasses, heads, and livers.'
TimesLIVE
19-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- TimesLIVE
Air fryer guava ribs with a spicy kick
Try this 20-minute recipe for a delectable dish with a spicy twist When dining in restaurants, it's common for people to be hit with a spark of inspiration. Be it a bartender's take on an old-fashioned favourite or how a simple dish is elevated through presentation, there's always a lot to learn from eating out. However, with Johannesburg's revolving door of clubs, I was impressed with a Caribbean spin on sticky ribs with a guava marinade. When Eskort dropped a pack of easy cook riblets, I couldn't help but wonder if the recipe would work with their offering, especially for those lazy days or when a craving for something sweet and spicy hits. Here's a look at how you can make dinner fun and easy with a remix of a pre-marinated dish. SPICY GUAVA RIBS Ingredients 2½ guavas, peeled 1½ chopped chilli pepper 100ml whisky or rum 1kg Eskort BBQ cocktail ribs Instructions Add slices of guava to a blender. You can also use canned guavas. Feel free to remove pips if preferred. Chop chilli pepper and add to the blender. Green chilli peppers or scotch bonnets would be recommended to get the necessary kick and complement the sweetness of the dish. Add the whisky or rum and blend until guava is no longer lumpy. Scoop it out of the blender and baste on one side of the ribs. Place the ribs with the unbasted side facing the bottom of the air fryer (1700W, 5.5 l) and cook for 10 minutes at 180°C. Once it's done, take the ribs out and baste the bottom half. Flip them over and cook for another 10 minutes at 180°C. Once cooked, serve the ribs on a plate and use any leftover sauce to baste the ribs. Serve with a salad and/or bread of your choice.
