S. Africa may refund duty paid on Brazil imports

South African poultry importers bringing the meat in from Brazil stand to get a refund of temporary tariffs, Bloomberg reports.

The International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa, which calculated the initial tariffs of as much as 63 % on certain cuts, has presented Trade Minister Rob Davies with a final report on its investigation on the imports.

South Africa imposed the duties after initial information showed Brazilian producers were dumping products in the continent’s biggest economy. The local price of yellow corn, mainly used as animal feed, has surged 42 % in the past three years. Poultry imports have increased to a record and chicken prices are the same as four years ago, according to Astral Foods Ltd. (ARL), the country’s second-biggest chicken producer.

Brazil in June filed a dispute against South Africa with the World Trade Organization over the taxes it has to pay.

“If these final duties are not imposed on Friday, then importers will be refunded their money for the past six months,” said consultant Francois Dubbelman, who is representing the South African Poultry Association.

“If the final duties exceed the current provisional tariff, importers won’t have to pay the difference, they will only start paying the new higher duty, Dubbelman said. “However, if it is lower than what they currently pay, they will have to be refunded the difference.”