South Africa’s renewed access to Egypt’s red-meat market could help rebuild exports disrupted by foot-and-mouth disease, although farmers may not see immediate financial gains.
South Africa’s agreement with Egypt on the veterinary conditions for red-meat exports could help rebuild trade battered by foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), but industry leaders say one market alone will not reverse farmers’ losses or guarantee better returns for primary producers.
Agriculture Minister Willie Aucamp announced the breakthrough on earlier this month at the Agri North West Congress. The Department of Agriculture said South Africa and Egypt had concluded negotiations on a Veterinary Health Certificate (VHC) governing red-meat exports, with shipments to be cleared once final signatures were formally appended.
The agreement establishes a regulatory route into Egypt, but does not mean products are already moving. Exporters must still meet the required conditions and secure buyers.
Aucamp described the development as a major milestone for an industry facing one of its biggest foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks in decades.
