Government regulations play a vital role in ensuring a fair , safe and sustainable food sector , and ensure that business is compliant with standards set out by the country ’ s laws .
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
ASSOCIATIONS
COLD LINK AFRICA PUBLISHED BY Interact Media Defined ( Pty ) Ltd 13A Riley Rd , Bedfordview , 2007 , South Africa PO Box 695 , Edenvale , 1610 Tel : + 27 ( 0 ) 11 579 4940 Web : www . interactmedia . co . za
PUBLISHING UNIT LEAD : Dale Macnamara sales @ interactmedia . co . za
EDITOR : Eamonn Ryan eamonn @ interactmedia . co . za
CONSULTING EDITOR : John Ackermann
ADVERTISING SALES External sales : Dale Macnamara sales @ interactmedia . co . za
SUBSCRIPTIONS : Ralph Shongwe | ralph @ interactmedia . co . za
SUB-EDITOR : Megan O ' Connor megan @ interactmedia . co . za
DESIGN AND LAYOUT : Glyniss Bone glyniss @ interactmedia . co . za
PROCESS CO-ORDINATOR : Lebo Bucibo lebo @ interactmedia . co . za
MANAGEMENT Finance / operations : Sean Macnamara sean @ interactmedia . co . za Finance : Laetitia Arnott | laetitia @ interactmedia . co . za
PRINTING : TYPO
DISTRIBUTION : distribution @ interactmedia . co . za
CIRCULATION : Oct - Dec 2023 Print : 2 230 | Online : 1 389 | Total : 3 619
ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY PRINTING : All paper is sourced from the Forest Stewardship Council and Chain of Custody-certified suppliers . All wastepaper from the plant is recycled . All used plates are recycled . All new printing equipment is purchased for low energy-consumption levels and low volatile organic-compound emissions .
DISCLAIMER : While every reasonable precaution has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the advice and information given , neither the editor , publisher , proprietor , staff , nor any official body represented or published in this issue , will accept responsibility for any damages , loss , injuries , or false claims that may arise or be made in the content . Including but not limited to any references to gender , religion , politics , ethnicity , or personal preferences of any editorial contribution whether an industry expert , advertiser through sponsored or paid content or contract writer . We subscribe to the Code of Conduct of the Advertising Regulatory Board ( info @ arb . co . za ) and the Press Ombudsman ( see below ). Disclaimers by individual companies are hereby overridden by this disclaimer .
COPYRIGHT : Reproduction of any of the content and photographs is expressly forbidden in terms of the Copyright Act of 1987 with all amendments . All requests to reproduce must be made in writing to the publisher and such confirmation must be given in writing before proceeding . A copy of where the reproduction was published must be supplied to the publisher at the above address . All publication and exhibition titles are registered as trademarks in terms of the Trademarks Act of 1993 and are held by Interact Media Defined ( Pty ) Ltd , Reg No 2014 / 092774 / 07 .
PRESS OMBUDSMAN : This publication has committed itself to maintain the highest standards of journalism as embodied in the Press Code of Professional Practice . If you believe we have failed to report news and comment accurately , honestly and fairly , you may lodge a complaint with the Press Ombudsman either by email , letter , or by telephoning the office for the procedure to be followed . Tel : + 27 ( 0 ) 11 484 3612 / 8 . Email : enquiries @ ombudsman . org . za Website : www . presscouncil . org . za for the press code and / or the complaints form .
Port regulations can be a double-edged sword
Yet if they are implemented without the accompanying measures to mitigate unintended consequences , they can spell disaster .
Nowhere is this balance more apparent than in the upheaval at South Africa ’ s ports . Despite the fact that the ports are already congested and in a state of crisis , the department of agriculture , land reform & rural development and the Border Management Agency recently mandated that every container entering the country be subject to veterinary inspection .
Previously consignments made up of many containers , would be subject to a randomised daily inspection process . In effect , this means inspections of containers have increased by 75 %.
The problem with this is that it was implemented without increasing the number of veterinary inspectors or the hours allocated for inspections , and without any risk assessment being conducted by the Border Management Agency or department . There is no scientific justification for the introduction of this new requirement .
As a result of the new inspection procedures , ports across the country are experiencing a backlog and mass container congestion . The situation is being compounded by the fact that many of food containers need refrigeration , and there are not enough plug points to go around . This will have serious consequences for jobs at cold stores and result in food security concerns , especially for poor consumers .
The veterinary inspection decision — introduced without notice — has a range of damaging consequences and is placing unbearable pressure on South African ports , on the inspectors themselves , on cold store facilities , and on importers of critical foodstuffs .
The entire value chain for food will be in further peril unless the department and Border Management Agency come up with an urgent plan to either increase capacity for inspections and inspecting hours or revert to the former system until they are able to put measures in place to address the backlog .
By Paul Matthew , CEO of the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters ( AMIE ) of Southern Africa
Government regulations play a vital role in ensuring a fair , safe and sustainable food sector , and ensure that business is compliant with standards set out by the country ’ s laws .
the inspectors to be available for protracted periods without considering stretched resources at the ports .
AMIE is concerned about the lack of foresight in implementing these changes , which overlooked their far-reaching implications . With inspections now consuming three to four hours per container and no provision for additional resources , port throughput has plummeted , worsening backlogs and escalating demurrage charges .
Because of the congestion , food import companies are also being forced to pay additional container storage costs and demurrage charges at ports – a charge levied for failure to discharge product within the agreed time . One company alone recently paid R325 000 in demurrage charges for a two-week period , off a base of zero previously .
On top of this , delays in clearing containers will also have a negative impact on South Africa ’ s successful citrus export sector , whose season will soon begin , as the reefer containers used for imports need to be emptied and cleared for use in citrus exports . This will cause further backlogs at the port .
Beyond the logistical hurdles , there is a broader concern about the need for such stringent measures . Existing protocols already ensure the integrity and safety of imported foodstuff through rigorous quality control procedures .
Given these challenges , it is imperative that government and industry stakeholders engage in collaborative dialogue aimed at finding sustainable solutions . This needs a holistic approach that balances regulatory imperatives with the operational realities of port management and the imperative of ensuring uninterrupted access to critical food supplies .
As South Africa navigates the complexities of global trade and regulatory compliance , it is critical that all stakeholders work together to address these challenges , even if it means going back to the drawing board by reverting to the previous standard while developing an implementation plan that includes measures to supplement the inspection protocols .
This is important given that any delays in our ports inevitably means that the country experiences delays in putting food on the table . Some 80 % of all chicken meat imports that come into the country is mechanically deboned meat , which is used to produce vital and affordable protein such as polony , viennas and Russian sausages .
It is only a matter of time before the backlog has a serious effect on those who produce these meat products , and the consumers who buy them . CLA
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION
INSPECTIONS
Previously , importers were allowed to break veterinary seals and offload products into government-approved cold storage facilities , where inspectors would conduct inspections in line with defined processes , with subsequent sampling for microbiological testing . However , the new conditions mandate full inspections and offloading in the presence of inspectors , increasing processing times as it requires
Ninjason1 | Freepik . com
COLD LINK AFRICA • May 2024 www . coldlinkafrica . co . za 5