Pretoria, 5 August 2025 – The Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS) has released the much-anticipated second edition of its Red Meat Industry Report, a biannual publication offering a critical snapshot of market dynamics, trade performance, production forecasts, and disease risk assessments impacting South Africa’s red meat value chain.
This edition, developed in partnership with BFAP and funded through the Red Meat Statutory Levy, provides valuable context for industry stakeholders as the sector navigates both emerging opportunities and renewed challenges – most concerningly, the resurgence of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).
Inside the Report: What stakeholders must know
The report deep dives into the resurgence of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), detailing its implications for trade, pricing, and disease management strategies. It examines the role of veterinary services, public and private sector responses, and the evolving importance of traceability and biosecurity.
Additional sections analyse profitability trends, carcass weights, slaughter volumes, and why sustained recovery hinges on lowering feed prices and stabilising disease management.
Market Recovery Faces Setback
Following a promising first quarter in 2025 marked by record beef exports and firming producer prices, recent outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) have cast a shadow on progress. Notably, China implemented a ban on South African beef imports in May 2025, compounding pressure on domestic pricing and trade.
“The industry was beginning to regain real momentum, but FMD outbreaks continue to blindside progress, halting export gains and destabilising domestic pricing,” said Dewald Olivier, CEO of RMIS. “We need swift and coordinated containment efforts and a renewed commitment to biosecurity and traceability, which are no longer optional, they are fundamental to our market credibility.”
