Chairman of the Red Meat Abattoir Association, Mr Niel Venter,
Board members,
Abattoir owners and industry representatives,
Government Officials,
Distinguished Guests,
Thank you for inviting me to address the Annual Conference and Congress of the Red Meat Abattoir Association.
Please accept my apologies for not being able to join you in person.
The focus of this conference on meat safety amidst evolving production systems reflects the changing production landscape within the industry and the pressures of animal diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease.
This underscores the need for continued collaboration between Government and the industry to ensure that South Africa remains competitive and compliant in both domestic and international trade.
South Africa continues to play an important role in global agricultural trade.
In 2025, South Africa’s agricultural exports reached a record $15 billion, up 10 percent from the previous year.
We have started this year on a sound footing, with farm product exports increasing by 11 percent year-on-year.
South Africa is an active member of the World Trade Organization and the World Organisation for Animal Health.
Together, these organisations play a critical role in enabling safe and fair global trade in animals and animal products.
While the science-based standards set by the World Organisation for Animal Health provide the foundation for international trade, market access often extends beyond these guidelines.
Bilateral negotiations with importing countries are often required to establish mutually acceptable guarantees and risk-mitigation measures.
These negotiated agreements provide the necessary assurances to trading partners and play a critical role in enabling and sustaining export opportunities.
In a landmark achievement for our country, South Africa successfully negotiated a Veterinary Health Certificate in early 2026 that now allows the export of red meat and meat products derived from livestock vaccinated against foot and mouth disease.
This includes animals that were vaccinated and are clinically healthy at the time of slaughter.
This development represents a major advancement for the sector.
It demonstrates strong confidence among international trading partners in the robustness of South Africa’s veterinary control systems.
This progress reinforces the strong global demand for South African red meat and affirms the value and credibility of our products in international markets.
Most importantly, it demonstrates that when appropriate risk mitigation measures are in place, South African red meat remains a safe and trusted commodity.
This development underscores the importance of continued engagement with trading partners to expand and safeguard market access opportunities.
We welcome the commitment of the Red Meat Abattoir Association, together with the rest of the red meat value chain, to supporting the industry's growth, sustainability, and global competitiveness.
For its part, Government remains committed to providing an enabling environment for safe and equitable market access for our red meat industry.
We know that abattoirs face many risks, and margins are always under pressure.
Ensuring sufficient throughput and improving operational efficiency are therefore critical.
At the same time, abattoirs play a vital role in food quality, food safety and the protection of South Africa’s food heritage.
I am convinced that even in an evolving production landscape, with both long-standing and emerging challenges, our red meat industry is more than capable of adapting, growing and thriving.
I wish you an excellent conference.
I thank you.
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