Is a "chicken war" between the United Sates and South Africa leading to sanctions?

About a week ago the first item on our South African news channels was about trouble between the United States and SA concerning chicken imports.

Not being an economist it actually boggled my mind somewhat.
The way I understand it so far is that South Africa has certain import duties to protect some local jobs and industries, and in the lucrative chicken trade the US regards these as a threat to their interests.

Apparently the duties only apply to some cuts of chickens, and not even to the most lucrative and biggest market, for example for chicken feet (known locally as "walkie-talkies").

I really wouldn't care much as a vegetarian (those poor birds), and it mostly concerns capturing the growing black middle classes, and even under Apartheid KFC was the only US fast-food franchise that never withdrew from the country.
That was a long time ago, and now we have many, like McDonalds or Burger King.

The thing is that since the news item I've found I can no longer watch a lot of American (or American manged) music on YouTube, when I never had a problem doing so before.
The screen comes up blank and reads: "This video is unavailable in your country".
At first I thought it's just a bad connection, but now it seems to be a trend.
Are we under an unofficial trade embargo?

OK fine, there's a lot of good music in the world not managed by US interests, and if they don't want us to support their musicians or sell their albums and shows here that's their loss.
I've lived through sanctions before.
Maybe I'm wrong and this has another reason?

I see it as connected though, even if it's not admitted openly, and I think the musicians in question should take note that a poor country may be being blackmailed in their name for protecting their workers from a flood that could wipe out local chicken farming completely.

US and SA in flap over chickens:
www.reuters.com...

Senator Coons threatens SA over chicken imports.
www.law360.com...

www.bdlive.co.za...

hummmm that`s interesting.

China is still having a problem with avian flu...
www.flu.gov...

Human infections with a new avian influenza A (H7N9) virus continue to be reported in China. The virus has been detected in poultry in China as well

and the united states has just recently began to allow the importation of Chinese poultry into America.
www.takepart.com...

A year after allowing processed poultry imports, the USDA is now allowing fresh and frozen birds too.

I`m wondering if American chicken wholesalers are planning to buy a lot of cheap frozen Chinese chickens ( some or many of which are infected with the avian flu virus) and reselling them to other countries?
Maybe the duties in south Africa are too high and will cut into their profits so they will be stuck with a bunch of diseased Chinese chickens that they were planning to sell to south Africa?

I`m going to start being very careful about the chicken I buy now that our government has seen fit to allow China raised chickens to be sold here in America.I`m sure the Chinese would have no moral objections to selling diseased chickens to us stupid americans.

This Afrikaans article is titled "The US bullies South Africa over chickens".
Apparently the SA protective tariffs have been in place for 14 years, and the US never gave a stuff.

The author puts the sudden outrage by two USA officials down to the loss of the Russian chicken market in August 2014, when Putin banned US chicken imports in retaliation for sanctions. Russia turned to Brazil for chicken instead (SA's biggest competitor regarding chicken in the global South).

Although the tariffs don't even effect some of the most popular chicken cuts in SA, it would be impossible to take away protective tariffs completely, since the US chicken market is 12 times bigger than ours.

The US produces 20.3 percent of the global chicken-for-meat market.
South Africa produces 1.7 percent.
The US exports 3.4 million tons of chicken.
South Africa exports 20 tons.
The total worth of the South African chicken industry is R29, 845 billion.
The total worth of the US chicken market is R355 billion.
No wonder some are calling it a David and Goliath situation.
www.netwerk24.com...

a reply to: halfoldman

Wow! How cound I have missed this news?? I should listen to the radio more!! Thanks for the thread. F&S

I usually don't like our government in SA, or their socialist dictatorship buddies.
I've always been pro-USA (with some critiques) and I love many of their musicians.
However in this case I hope our government doesn't budge, and if this ridiculous nonsense continues I also hope we start to boycott chicken from US origins, and even other interests from a grassroots movement amongst our people.

Thanks a lot President Obama.
Coming here and saying all those wonderful things, and then this happens to a developing African country under your watch!
Tell me it's not true...

a reply to: halfoldman

I have to agree with you with not being a fan of our goverment.

originally posted by: halfoldman
Thanks a lot President Obama.
Coming here and saying all those wonderful things, and then this happens to a developing African country under your watch!
Tell me it's not true...

It's simple: The RSA is a BRICS member. Russia turned out not to be an easy push over, so whack the next in line. Normal gringo way of doing things.

a reply to: Guenter

I thought that it had something to do with BRICS, but don't know enough about it.

The economics news is a good thing to watch, it gives you a good prediction of the potential geo-political moves in the coming days/weeks/months...

This sanctioning might become about more than just chickens, SA would produce most of their own mean and not import much from outside the continent? If so, its more about inbound to the US than outbound??

Off topic: I will post you some chickens feet if they are that lucrative. Perth is not far so they will still be fresh, just send me back some boarvours as trade!