Avian influenza (bird flu) is another factor pushing up the retail prices of South African chicken and eggs.
Bird flu outbreaks on layer farms have already caused a shortage of eggs in some areas, and prices have risen. Broiler producers have been less badly affected, and so far, there have been no shortages. However, this could change in the next month or so, according to poultry veterinarian Dr Shan Bisschop.
In an interview reported by AgriOrbit, Dr Bisschop said a new bird flu strain, H7N6, was spreading fast and was more deadly than previous strains.
While consumers have already noted a decline in egg availability, Bisschop said poultry meat consumers will only start seeing the impact of this new strain “within four to six weeks”.
Dr Abongile Balarane, the CEO of the layer division of the SA Poultry Association (SAPA), told the publication that the country has lost around 25% of its national flock – which normally consists of approximately 27 million birds.
He said the industry did not yet know what to expect from the new H7 strain.
“Remember this is a new strain in South Africa and we are all currently learning about it. Usually, the H5N1 strains start to disappear when we approach warm weather, but we are still not yet certain about what will happen with H7,” Dr Balarane said.
Izaak Breitenbach, head of SAPA’s broiler division, said while South Africa’s commercial poultry sector’s biosecurity was of a high standard, avian influenza was highly infectious.
“The virus can be carried into a cage on a single dust particle, so it spreads incredibly easily. Even if your poultry houses stand 100m apart, that is close enough for the virus to jump from one house to the next.”
Breitenbach added that wild birds perching on the roofs of poultry houses was their biggest problem. “If that bird loses just a feather, it could potentially float into the poultry house and cause the spread of the disease.”
Breitenbach said there would be no shortage of chicken meat. The local industry would be able to supply most of the demand and he expected import volumes to increase if there was any shortfall.