In South Africa, meat lovers are facing tough times ahead as a series of challenges threatens to make their favorite dishes a luxury. Arnold Prinsloo, the CEO of Eskort, a major meat manufacturer in the country, is sounding the alarm about a potential crisis that could significantly impact food security in the nation.
Prinsloo warns of a “perfect storm
” brewing in the meat industry, with multiple factors converging to drive up prices and potentially limit supply. A recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease at Karan Beef, South Africa’s largest beef producer, has led to a significant reduction in slaughter volumes. This development has placed the facility under quarantine and raised concerns about future supply and pricing.
“
If the quarantine persists or if the disease spreads further, we may see a contraction in beef supply accompanied by rising prices,
” Prinsloo cautioned.
The situation is further exacerbated by the ban on chicken imports from Brazil following an avian flu outbreak in the country. This ban has strained local production as Brazil serves as South Africa’s primary source of mechanically deboned meat (MDM), a crucial ingredient for low-cost processed meats like polony and Viennas. Smaller producers are already feeling the heat due to raw material shortages resulting from the import restriction.
“
The ban on Brazilian imports will have a ripple effect, impacting millions of low-cost meals each month,
” Prinsloo emphasized.
Adding to these woes is the financial collapse of Daybreak Foods, one of South Africa’s leading poultry producers. The company’s business rescue status and recent culling of chicks due to feed shortages are expected to further squeeze local chicken supplies and escalate prices.
Prinsloo stressed that while some players in the poultry industry downplay concerns about an imminent shortage, the ground reality tells a different story. He pointed out that relying heavily on Brazilian MDM imports while local production lags behind raises serious food security issues for vulnerable populations.
“
We need decisive action now to prevent this triple threat—disease outbreaks, disrupted imports, and domestic production challenges—from spiraling into a full-blown food crisis,
” urged Prinsloo.
Industry bodies such as the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (AMIE) and the South African Meat Processors Association are urging government intervention to mitigate these challenges. They advocate for targeted import bans limited to affected regions in Brazil rather than blanket restrictions across the country to maintain essential supply chains and protect jobs in meat processing facilities.
As prices surge and vulnerable consumers face increasing difficulty accessing affordable protein sources, urgent measures are needed to prevent widespread hunger and malnutrition. Prinsloo reiterated that delaying action could lead to dire consequences for millions of South Africans relying on stable access to affordable meat products.
“
The time for coordinated efforts is now before we witness empty shelves and unattainable prices,” emphasized Prinsloo amid mounting concerns over looming food insecurity within South Africa’s borders.
Leave feedback about this