Poultry industry players say the United States is using the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), and its favourable market access by sub-Saharan countries, to force the hand of South Africa in a dispute over chicken imports amid concerns about health standards.

The Shoprite Group has raised concern that the price benefit of the recently approved chicken imports from the USA which will be free of anti-dumping duties will not reach consumers.

The Irish government yesterday laid out plans to introduce minimum alcohol pricing in a bid to reduce the country’s high drinking levels.

Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies on Thursday gave his official go-ahead for the annual importation of 65,000 tonnes of US bone-in chicken portions free of antidumping duties.

Retailer Masstores‚ trading as Game‚ failed in its bid to overturn a high court judgment which prevented it from interfering with a contractual relationship that another retailer Pick n Pay entered into with its landlord.

South Africa has signed an agreement with the US to resume the import of 65 000 t/y of chicken, which had become bogged down over health concerns, the government said.

About 39% of South African businesses are unaware of the significant penalties that may result from a violation of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI) which is expected to become law in 2016.

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has told Health24 that Woolworths was unable to determine the number of ice cream and sorbet products affected by a peanut allergen labelling blunder.

SA’s largest poultry producers should maintain their dominance in the market so that the country remains globally competitive, the SA Poultry Association (Sapa) said.