Huge unrealised potential for meat export industry

The South African red meat
industry needs to up its game
by taking ownership of its own
growth potential – and this includes
exploring global meat export
opportunities in the premium
markets.
Speaking at the Red Meat Forum
in Pretoria recently, managing
director of Agricultural Business
SA, Dr Michael Bradfield, said the
industry needed to
stop looking towards
government initiatives
for funding but
instead fund itself, as
was the global norm.
He added that South
African red meat was
of premium export
quality, although it
was currently priced
at a third of what
first world countries
charged for meat of
similar quality. South
Africa therefore
needed to aspire to
reach premium export
markets.
Bradfield pointed out that foreign
market opportunities were opening
up for South African producers in
the premium market. “To enter these
markets, South African producers,
abattoirs and exporters would have
to be able to answer questions on
local animal health and traceability,”
he said.
The industry needed to spend
more money on research and
development, like other big meat
exporting countries, he added.
Bradfield said Russia, Pacific Rim
countries, Europe, South Korea, the
United States and China offered
great export opportunities. “While
Chinese economic growth has
slowed down, the demand for red
meat is still growing. Meat prices in
China have increased 800% over the
past decade due to a growing middle
class,” he said.
Gerhard Schutte,
CEO of the Red
Meat Producers’
Organisation,
commented that
South Africa already
had protocols in place
to export meat to 42
countries and that
the organisation was
currently working
with government to
unlock more of the
top-end markets.
“Producers realise
that government
doesn’t have sufficient
resources to drive
this change. If we want to become a
leading exporter of meat, we have to
help government to help us,” he said.
Schutte pointed out that
SA had a “totally unique meat
classification system”, so meat is
sold at a ‘younger’ age with a lower
fat content than in most other
countries. “South Africa also has a
well-stablished feedlot system that
helps to ensure a uniform product.
On top of this our sheep
are raised on veld and
they receive hardly
any hormones, which
would especially
appeal to
healthconscious
consumers
in first world
countries,” he
said.
INSERT
To enter premium
markets South African
producers, abattoirs
and exporters will
have to be able to
answer questions on
local animal health
and traceability.
– Dr Michael Bradfield