WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD News) — The U.S. meat industry is urging the U.S. Trade Representative to investigate African trade.
Jim Remcheck, Director of Export Services with the U.S. Meat Export Federation, says trade agreements with Africa are meant to promote mutual growth and fair access to markets.
Some countries are imposing what USMEF calls “unscientific” barriers to U.S. meat products.
“The Africa Growth and Opportunities Act at Goa is intended to incentivize two-way trade and authorizes the president to designate sub-Saharan African countries for duty-free treatment. The United States Trade Representative (USTR) is looking for comments from the public on how the Africa Growth and Opportunities Act has been implemented so far, and if it has worked, if it is not, areas where it could possibly be utilized in a different way. We see tremendous opportunity on the African continent for red meat exports. AGOA benefits in the past have mainly been suspended in an effort to advance human rights or worker rights or political reforms. However, AGOA has not generally been utilized to leverage improved market access for US agricultural products, even though it was intended as a tool for that purpose to facilitate that two-way trade.”
In comments submitted to the trade representative, USMEF highlighted specific challenges in key African markets, most notably South Africa and Nigeria.
“South Africa, over 10 years ago, agreed to lift a ban on US However, South Africa has continued to impose unscientific trade barriers due to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, PRRS. So we are encouraging South Africa to adopt a science and risk-based approach and requirements in line with their WTO commitments for the Nigerian market. All fresh, non-processed US red meat is currently ineligible for its unscientific ban. But we do see it as a tremendous growth area. And again, we think that pulling the strings on the AGOA angle could possibly give us some leverage.”
USMEF says it is encouraging the trade representative to consider sanctioning or suspending Nigeria’s benefits until the ban is lifted.
