Two government departments are giving conflicting statistics about South Africa’s chicken exports.
In a statement about the revised poultry master plan, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition DTIC said chicken exports had risen since the original master plan was signed in 2019.
“In the period 2019 and 2025 aggregate chicken meat inclusive of fresh, frozen, whole, cut into pieces and offal displayed a 9% growth in exports,” the DTIC said.
The supposed increase was subsequently repeated by DTIC deputy minister Zuko Godlimpi.
Audited import statistics from the SA Revenue Service (SARS) show a different picture. According to these official statistics, South Africa’s chicken exports in 2019 were 50 229 tonnes. The export total dropped to 41 607 tonnes in 2025, so chicken exports for that period were down, not up.
Was the DTIC perhaps confused by a brief increase in exports to 56 535 tonnes in 2024, before the decline resumed in 2025?
