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Red
meat
The red meat industry is one of the most
important industries in the agricultural sector and contributed 12,3% to the
gross value of agricultural production during 1999/2000. The South African Meat
Industry Company (SAMIC), a Section 21 Company, currently manages four industry
related functions, namely: liaison, industry information, research and
development and food standards.
Slaughtering
During 1999, estimates of the total cattle
and sheep slaughtered increased by 9% and 8% respectively, while the number of
pigs slaughtered decreased slightly by 0,5%.
Commercial slaughtering of red meat producing
livestock types over the past five years is as follows:
|
Year |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 Numbers |
1998
* |
1999
* |
|
Cattle Sheep
and lamb Pigs |
1
771 569 4
550 208 1
922 583 |
1
763 671 4
834 360 2
034 575 |
1
567 635 4
064 573 1
846 517 |
1
750 000 4
475 000 1
870 000 |
1
907 307 4
828 743 1
859 746 |
*
Estimate
Auction prices
The market prices for red meat are the result
of the interaction between demand and supply as well as various other
price-determining factors. In the case of mutton, for example, the level of wool
prices, demand factors (interest rates and private disposable income), the
domestic supply of mutton and the price of substitute products also influence
prices. The applied tariff level and the import parity price also influence
local prices.
The average producer price of beef for 1999
amounted to R8,12/kg (average for all classes on all auction markets), which
represents a 2,4% increase compared to the average price of R7,93/kg for 1998.
In view of the ever-stronger influence of
international trade on the local mutton industry, both the cyclical and seasonal
price patterns for mutton are influenced by imports. The average producer price
for mutton and lamb increased by 1,6% during 1999 to R12,36/kg, compared to the
average price of R12,16/kg for 1998.
The
average producer price for pork decreased by 2,6% (R7,06/kg) in 1999, compared
to 1998 (R7,25/kg).
Imports
Imports from the BLNS countries (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia
and Swaziland) during 1999 increased by approximately 11% compared to
1998. Live imports from Namibia for 1999, however, decreased by 15%. Imports
from outside the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) for 1999 amounted to
approximately 14 000 tons of beef, a decrease of 15%. During 1999, 73% of
the total beef imports from outside SACU came from the European Union and a
further 10% came from Australia.
Imports of mutton and lamb increased by
11,1%, from 33 123 tons in 1998 to 36 802 tons in 1999. Of the total
mutton imports from outside SACU during 1999, 95% came from Australia.
Imports of pork increased by 39,4%, from 6 979
tons in 1998 to 9 727 tons in 1999. During 1999, 93% of total pork imports
came from the European Union and Hungary.
The import of kangaroo meat amounted to 1 009
tons, an increase of 296% from 255 tons in 1998.