Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in South Africa on that country's proposal to impose higher tariffs on British poultry products.

Previously in 2013 South Africa threatened to introduce custom duties of 82% on poultry imports, however, they were unable to do so under the terms of the EU-South Africa trade agreement. South Africa then proposed anti-dumping duties, which were reduced for some producers in 2015 following questions from the EU on dumping margins and the participation of UK producers in South Africa’s anti-dumping investigation.

We have been informed that the Southern African Customs Union intends to impose additional higher tariffs on EU including British poultry products, however, we have not been able to confirm their proposal. This issue is further complicated by South Africa’s ongoing avian influenza ban on UK poultry meat, despite the UK being disease free since September 2017 under World Animal Health Organisation rules.

Defra has been working closely with the FCO and the EU to determine whether further duties are to be implemented and to coordinate further action. We will continue to focus on alleviating the restrictions on poultry products entering South Africa.