South Africa cooks around EU ostrich ban

South Africa’s ostrich industry can sidestep the ban on its products imposed by the European Union (EU) due to avian flu, by selling heat-processed meat.

The EU ban does not apply to meat that has been “precooked” for just three seconds at 70°C.

As a result, the Klein Karoo International, based in Oudtshoorn and specialising in heat-processed ostrich steaks, goulash and strips has received an order from Germany for 40 tons of heat-treated ostrich meat, says managing director Johan Stumpf.

Farmers sell the heat-processed meat at a lower price than raw ostrich meat, but the processed product does guarantee an all-year export market, unaffected by the avian flu ban.

For more go to iAfrica