South Africa’s Poultry Industry Secures Landmark Victory After Court Reversal

South Africa’s poultry industry is celebrating a major turning point after the Supreme Court of Appeal overturned a High Court ruling that had threatened the protective measures shielding local producers from unfairly priced imports. The judgment restores confidence across the sector, which has long argued that anti-dumping duties are essential to keeping thousands of farmers and processing jobs afloat.

Source: agrifocusafrica

The dispute originated from duties imposed on frozen bone-in chicken portions from Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom—imports that had been landing at prices far below their home-market value. Local producers warned that such dumping was squeezing the industry, prompting the International Trade Administration Commission to launch a sunset review to determine whether those protections should continue.

The import lobby, represented by the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters, fought the review and convinced the High Court in 2023 to declare it unlawful. That ruling sent shockwaves through the poultry value chain, raising fears that the removal of duties would open the floodgates to cheap imports and push domestic producers to the brink.

The tide has now turned. The Supreme Court of Appeal ruled that the commission acted properly and within its mandate, noting that removing the duties would have posed a serious threat to the national poultry market. Judges also pointed out that the challenge by importers came almost two and a half years late—far outside the 180-day window allowed for such applications.

Industry players say the decision brings much-needed stability at a time when producers are grappling with high feed costs, recurring avian influenza outbreaks, and global supply chain disruptions. Poultry remains South Africa’s most affordable protein source, making a robust local industry vital to food security and rural employment.

Although the victory is significant, the battle isn’t over. The current anti-dumping duties are set to expire in 2026, meaning the industry will soon need to defend them again. Importers are also pursuing separate challenges involving products from the United States and Brazil, signalling more trade confrontations ahead.

Even so, the ruling is seen as a firm endorsement of fair competition. By upholding the legality of the review process, the court has fortified the country’s efforts to protect local production, secure jobs, and strengthen long-term economic and food-security goals.