South Africa: The Impact of South Africa's Level Four Lockdown on the Livestock Industry

On June 27, 2021, the South African government announced that the country would be under a heightened, level 4 lockdown as a result of the rise in COVID-19 infections and the increase in hospital admissions. The lockdown restrictions affect the livestock industry, as patrons are currently not allowed to gather for auctions. Furthermore, restaurants and hotels are only allowed to sell takeaways because sit-ins are restricted. These heightened restrictions were introduced for a 14-day period; however, the government could extend the duration of these measures if the COVID-19 infection rate does not improve. U.S. poultry imports into South Africa have declined over the past year due in part to the impact of the pandemic; however, beef imports have not been negatively impacted and have actually increased considerably over the same period. On July 11, the President declared an extension of the lockdown period with minor modifications for an additional 14 days.