Poultry sector still reeling

Call for alignment between state, industry on vaccination, compensation.

- Amanda Visser

The poultry industry is still reeling from its 2023 annus horribilis where load shedding, water challenges, high raw material cost and the avian influenza outbreak hit the industry.

South Africa also had outbreaks of bird flu in 2017 and 2021.

The South African Poultry Association (Sapa) says the industry cannot afford to lose R9.5 billion again because of the disease. It is simply not sustainable.

"We cannot expect the industry to go through another disastrous year like 2023," says Sapa CEO Izaak Breitenbach.

"Avian influenza is a recurring disease.

We have not been able to eradicate the disease globally."

Breitenbach told an agriculture roundtable discussion there must be alignment between government and the industry on vaccination or compensation.

Some light at the end of the tunnel

The first phase of the poultry masterplan has made inroads in addressing challenges facing the industry.

There has been increased investment and production capacity is up 10%.