The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries recently released a document informing pork importers that the Directorate Animal Health will no longer allow any products that are not subject to further processing to be imported in the same container as restricted pork import products.

This means that if a container includes any restricted products the whole content of that container will be regarded as subject to further processing.

The following clauses will be added to Veterinary Import Permits (VIP):

The VIP for raw frozen pork to South Africa for unrestricted entry of specific cuts:

“Should the importer decide to transport pork for unrestricted entry and pork for further processing in the same container, the whole container will be handled as pork for further processing. Furthermore, should any of the products in a container be found to not comply with the VIP requirements for unrestricted pork the whole container may be rejected as such.”

The VIP for raw frozen pork to South Africa subject to further processing o arrival::

“Please note that should any commodity be included in the same container as pork for further processing, the entire content of the container will be subjected to the conditions set out I the VIP for raw frozen pork to South Africa subject to further processing on arrival.”

According to the press release the above requirement for pork imports will be implemented on the following dates:

Any container for which the veterinary health certificate was signed after 29 May 2017

Any container that arrives in SA after 3 July 2017 irrespective of when the veterinary health certificate was issued.