Bad news for people who love oxtail in South Africa

South Africans could soon pay substantially more for oxtail after an administrative error blocked Argentine imports, which supply the majority of the local market.

The Association of Meat Importers and Exporters South Africa (AMIE) sounded the alarm about the local oxtail supply.

It called on the Department of Agriculture (DoA) to urgently review the current sanitary certificate and restore a practical route for imports.

South Africa imports approximately 70% of its oxtail from Argentina. Local producers cannot supply the cut at the volumes required by the market.

Importers and retailers are already managing stock carefully, while consumers could face higher prices if supply tightens further.

The impasse began with a reference to Ovine Scrapie in sanitary certificates for bovine products. Ovine scrapie affects sheep and goats, not cattle.

Industry stakeholders and Argentine representatives have proposed an amendment to remove the irrelevant wording from bovine certificates.

Instead, the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters South Africa said that the process has become far more complicated.

The Department of Agriculture introduced a complex certificate that contains extensive Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) biosecurity requirements.

This complex certificate is extremely difficult for exporting countries to meet for bone-in beef products, including oxtail.

AMIE CEO Paul Matthew said that the solution to the problem should have been a simple administrative amendment.

“Ovine scrapie does not apply to cattle, and removing that reference from bovine certificates should not have become a regulatory obstacle of this scale,” he said.

“Argentina has the product, South Africa needs the product, and consumers should not lose access to oxtail because of a certificate issue that can be easily resolved.”

Serious impact on oxtail in South Africa

The impact of the debacle on South Africa’s oxtail supply could be significant, affecting retailers and consumers.

Importers estimate that approximately 1,000 tonnes of oxtail, worth R100 million, could be lost to the South African market during the winter season.

Importers are reportedly already cancelling winter contracts as they manage stock levels and lead times against an unresolved certification deadline.

“South Africans cannot access a product that South Africa itself cannot produce in sufficient quantities,” said Matthew.

“Consumers don’t care about veterinary certificate wording but expect affordable food on supermarket shelves.”

“When a straightforward administrative correction turns into months of delay, it’s South African families who ultimately pay the price.”

Matthew said they remain committed to constructive engagement and are raising the matter with relevant government officials to secure a solution.

“AMIE supports South Africa’s biosecurity requirements. Our request is simply that those requirements be scientifically justified,” he said.

The association has engaged with the Deputy Director General of Agriculture and has contacted the Argentine embassy to accelerate progress.