VOA标准英语2013--南非上调最受欢迎的鸡肉税费

South Africans Upset Over Tax Hike on Favorite Meat: Chicken 南非上调最受欢迎的鸡肉税费 

JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s government has raised taxes on imported  chicken - a move that directly affects millions in a nation where  inequality and poverty still are rife 1. The government says the move  will protect local chicken producers and save jobs, but consumers say  the change is ruffling 2 their feathers.

约翰内斯堡,南非政府增加了对进口鸡肉的税收——此举直接影响这个国家的数百 万人,不平等和贫困仍然盛行。政府称此举将保护当地的鸡肉生产商和工作机会, 但消费者说变化是触怒他们的羽毛。

The humble 3 chicken is South Africa’s favorite meat. South Africans ate  nearly 1.8 million tons of chicken last year, according to the U.S.  Department of Agriculture.

A new tax on imported chicken, however, may peck away at the meat’s  supremacy. In late September, the government imposed tariffs 4 ranging  from 30 percent to 82 percent on various imported chicken products.  

South Africa has been importing increasing amounts of chicken, and  industry experts say that is negatively affecting a sector 5 that employs  about 100,000 people. The new tariffs will make local chicken more  attractive, but analysts 6 have said all chicken might rise in price.

Widespread displeasure

Predictably, VOA did not meet a single South African consumer who was  happy about the price hike.

“I eat vegetables because I’ve got no money to buy chicken,” said  domestic worker Pamela Sitstshongye.

“A lot of people are suffering in South Africa. They don’t have a lot  of money to buy expensive chicken,” said Paulina Rangoanashe, a law  firm employee.

Michael Sejaphala runs a food truck in Johannesburg selling traditional  foods for modest prices. He said he is struggling.  

“I used to buy four chickens for 100 rand [about $10], and now already  I’m buying four chickens for 140 rand [about $14]. So if it’s going  to have to rise more, wow, it’s going to be quite heavy on my  customers,” said Sejaphala.

Poverty level persists

A new study by the independent research group Afrobarometer found that  South Africa's poverty level has not gone down despite the nation's  economic growth.

At this family-owned butchery in Johannesburg, Alpeka Meat Market  manager Frankie Goncalves said the tax is unfair.

“Well, imported chicken, it’s a bit better than the local chicken, it ’s much better than the local chicken. And the only problem is that we ’re going to battle to keep up with the prices,” he said.

But "chickenomics," experts say, is more complicated.

Kevin Lovell, head of the South African Poultry 7 Association, said the  industry needs to be protected. “And nobody wants to pay more for the  same thing. But everyone wants to keep their job. And that’s what  tariffs are meant for. They’re policy instruments that countries can  use to try and develop specified 8 industries for a specific purpose, and  by doing that to improve the overall economic performance of their  country.”

Whatever happens, South African families may find it increasingly hard  to achieve a future with a chicken in every pot.