If antidumping investigations concerning a good were a movie genre, would they be considered a franchise or a reboot? It is a trick question because, although a reboot is almost always part of an existing universe, it discards previous continuity to start all over.

This brings us to the reasoning behind this aricle’s working title, ‘Welcome to Jurassic Park’. Confused? Intrigued? Or a little bit of both?

Given the article’s actual title, who is the closest relative of Tyrannosaurus rex (king of the tyrant lizards)? Based on DNA sequence analysis, the humble chicken is apparently its closest living relative, according to Chicken Whisperer Magazine.

What is unresolved, though, is whether what follows is an antidumping investigation franchise or a reboot. What I did not mention is that a reboot uses familiar characters, settings or source material, but introduces a new cast and fresh storylines. You be the judge of whether it introduces a new cast and a fresh storyline.

If our franchise or reboot had a narrator, it would be the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac), given that it guides us through the story, providing insight into the thoughts of the character (the applicant) and the background context (motivation, reasoning, and substantiation).

On August 14, Itac extended an invitation for comment on its initiation of a sunset review of antidumping duties on imported frozen bone-in portions of fowls of the species Gallus Domesticus originating in or imported from Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, with a submission deadline of September 21. (Fun fact: the correct scientific Latin name for the domestic chicken is Gallus Gallus Domesticus, which treats the domestic chicken as a subspecies of the wild red junglefowl (Gallus Gallus). Gallus Domesticus treats the domestic chicken as a distinct and specific species under binomial nomenclature.)

A sunset review is initiated on a date not later than five years from a duty’s imposition. In case you thought this was the first sunset review sequel, it is, in fact, the second, as the antidumping duties were first imposed on February 27, 2015.

On May 30, 2025, Itac notified interested parties through a Government Gazette notice that, unless a substantiated request was made, the antidumping duties would expire on August 22. A response to the sunset review questionnaire was received from the South African Poultry Association (SAPA) on behalf of the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) industry on March 9. The information was provided by the following producers: County Fair, a division of Astral Operations; Festive, a division of Astral Operations; Goldi, a division of Astral Operations; Grain Field Chickens; Rainbow; Crown Chickens, trading as Sovereign Foods; and Supreme Poultry.

The applicant calculated the margins of dumping for Germany as 425.64%, for the Netherlands as 32.48%, and for the UK as 61.84%. By comparison, on October 25, 2013, when the antidumping investigation was first initiated, the applicant, SAPA, was supported by Grain SA; the Animal Feed Manufacturers Association; Namib Poultry Industries; Swazi Poultry Processors; the Botswana Poultry Association; and the Basotho Poultry Farmers Association. The margins of dumping for Germany and the Netherlands were calculated as 91% and for the UK as 58%.

For its part, the narrator, in its consideration of the matter, found prima facie evidence that material injury would continue and recur if the antidumping duty expired. Consequently, it initiated the antidumping investigation, with the investigation for dumping running from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, and the injury investigation from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2025.

The Sacu importers, most likely members of the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters South Africa, now have the opportunity to challenge the antidumping investigation. Should they do so, their submitted information will be verified at their premises by the investigating officers before Itac can consider it. The same would apply to overseas exporters.

If this article has inspired you to read more about the T. rex’s closest relative, consider the earlier poultry-focused pieces published in this column: ‘Bach, Bach, Bach!’; ‘Calling a spade’; ‘Cock-a-doodle-doo’; ‘Cluckin’ quotas’; ‘Egg-spectations’; and ‘Numbing dumping’.