Why the fight for chicken is a fight on the side of the people.
For FairPlay, the fight against chicken dumping has never been only about protecting an industry. It has always been about the people whose livelihoods and nutrition depend on it.
Chicken is South Africa’s most popular meat protein, accounting for around 66% of the meat consumed nationally. For millions of households, particularly those under financial pressure, it is one of the most accessible ways to put protein on the table.
That makes the health of the local poultry industry a matter of national importance.
Since its establishment in 2016, FairPlay has worked to highlight the connections between unfair trade, local job losses, food security and the availability of affordable chicken. When local producers are forced to cut production or close operations, the consequences extend beyond farms and processing plants.
They reach workers, rural communities, grain farmers and families already struggling to afford nutritious food.
The movement has also challenged the idea that imported chicken automatically benefits consumers. The cost of local production has always been the reference price for retail, which means importers do not pass on the benefit of lower prices to consumers, and instead pocket fat profits. Fair trade, FairPlay argues, must consider the long-term consequences of undermining local production, employment and the country’s ability to supply its own food.
This perspective has helped broaden the conversation beyond trade disputes and tariffs to include a much bigger question: what kind of food system does South Africa need to sustain its people?
Ten years on, FairPlay’s message remains clear: A resilient local poultry industry means more than jobs and economic growth. It helps safeguard South Africa’s ability to put affordable protein on the nation’s tables.
Because ultimately, this fight is about more than chicken. It is about people, dignity and food security.
