'Buy South African: Milk Producer's Organisation

2010/02/19

The Milk Producers' Organisation (MPO) is asking consumers to "buy South African", CEO Bertus de Jongh said on Friday.

De Jongh appealed to consumers to make sure they buy dairy products produced in South Africa, thereby contributing to the country's economy and sustaining job opportunities in the dairy industry.

He said in a statement the South African dairy industry provided work for more than 60,000 people. "Traditionally dairy products are imported during the winter.

"The MPO expects that a significant amount of imported dairy products will appear in supermarkets this winter," De Jongh said. He said imported products did not necessarily comply with South African standards.

"A significant percentage of the samples taken from imported dairy products by the MPO's import monitoring service, Agri Inspec, indicate that the products are not of the same quality as local products."

He said South Africa was blessed with affordable and adequate supplies of high quality dairy products.

"The MPO advises consumers to buy well-known South African brands that meet South African legal requirements, De Jongh added. Source : Sapa)