The South African poultry industry’s recovery from last year’s devastating losses is illustrated by the return to profitability of Astral Foods, the country’s largest poultry producer.
Increased revenue, greater efficiencies and lower costs produced profit before interest and tax of R1.1 billion, up 281%, Astral said in a results presentation for the financial year to September 2024. The company is now debt free.
Astral recorded its first ever annual loss a year ago, when the poultry industry was hit by power outages, high feed and other input costs, and the country’s worst outbreak of bird flu.
While there have been improvements all round, and the outlook for 2025 is encouraging, bird flu is still a huge threat, Astral said.
“Bird flu remains a major risk to the local poultry industry, with slow progress towards approval for the vaccination of broiler breeding stock,” said outgoing CEO Chris Schutte.
Astral also noted continuing high levels of poultry imports, with imports taking a greater share of the South African market than any local producer.
Imports had 23% of the local market, Astral estimated, compared to 20% for Astral, 17% for Rainbow and 8% for Country Bird.
