SA avoids Agoa suspension
by Agency Staff,
2016-03-02 19:22:20.0
WASHINGTON — SA has allowed American chicken, pork and beef products to go on sale in the country, meeting benchmarks for resolving a trade dispute with the US, Washington’s top trade office said on Wednesday.
The US Trade Representative’s office said that if sustained, the South African sales will end 15 years of barriers to the US poultry products and are a key step towards President Barack Obama lifting his threat of suspending benefits under the US’s African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa).
Earlier on Wednesday Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan announced that SA had avoided suspension of US duty-free benefits, set for March 15, after Pretoria met the requirements of the trade deal.
SA had said it was concerned that an outbreak of avian flu in the US, which lead to the culling of nearly 50-million birds, could introduce animal and human health risks to its economy.
"My colleague, Trade Minister Rob Davies, has just heard from the US that their government has accepted finally the negotiated position on Agoa, and the constraints that were placed by the American president have now been removed," Mr Gordhan told Parliament.
SA exported $176m in agricultural products to the US under Agoa.
AFP, Reuters
Picture: THINKSTOCK
WASHINGTON — SA has allowed American chicken, pork and beef products to go on sale in the country, meeting benchmarks for resolving a trade dispute with the US, Washington’s top trade office said on Wednesday.
The US Trade Representative’s office said that if sustained, the South African sales will end 15 years of barriers to the US poultry products and are a key step towards President Barack Obama lifting his threat of suspending benefits under the US’s African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa).
Earlier on Wednesday Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan announced that SA had avoided suspension of US duty-free benefits, set for March 15, after Pretoria met the requirements of the trade deal.
SA had said it was concerned that an outbreak of avian flu in the US, which lead to the culling of nearly 50-million birds, could introduce animal and human health risks to its economy.
"My colleague, Trade Minister Rob Davies, has just heard from the US that their government has accepted finally the negotiated position on Agoa, and the constraints that were placed by the American president have now been removed," Mr Gordhan told Parliament.
SA exported $176m in agricultural products to the US under Agoa.
AFP, Reuters
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