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FairPlay has had a very active first nine years, and we are looking at an even more active 10th year as we head into 2026.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) expired in September 2025. Will the United States’ 72 000-tonne chicken quota disappear with it? Unfortunately, history teaches us that temporary trade concessions have a way of becoming permanent fixtures.

Trade policy may seem an abstract affair, but in South Africa it manifests in children’s bodies.

By 2035, South Africa’s poultry industry could look radically different, depending on whether policymakers choose to create, or continue allowing things to stagnate. The divergence between these futures is not theoretical; it can be measured in jobs created or lost, tonnes of food produced or imported, and children nourished or stunted.

FairPlay’s 2025 annual report reflects on our activities over the past year, and looks forward to what needs to be done as we head into 2026, and beyond.

Chicken importers have been dealt a severe blow by the Supreme Court of Appeal, which rejected their efforts to prevent the renewal of anti-dumping duties on chicken imports from three European countries.

Praise for the G20 outcomes, and a note of caution, came from Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso.

The G20 Leaders’ Declaration placed an essential focus on agriculture, recognising its role in strengthening global food security, according to agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo.

Astral Foods, South Africa’s largest poultry producer, plans to extend its bird flu vaccination programme to another two farms.

South Africa’s sugar industry and the country’s beverage makers are at odds over import tariffs for sugar. Sugar producers want higher tariffs, while the beverage industry wants them lowered.

An economic action plan to sustain South Africa’s poultry industry has been proposed by FairPlay founder Francois Baird.

Government’s latest medium-term budget has been welcomed by the agricultural sector for its strong emphasis on infrastructure rehabilitation, logistics reform, and municipal recovery; crucial elements to the long-term growth of South African farming and food production.

Astral Foods, South Africa’s largest integrated poultry producer, has posted strong financial results for its 2025 financial year, overcoming a tough first half marked by lower selling prices and rising input costs.

The rescue of Daybreak Farms, the Public Investment Corporation (PIC)-owned poultry producer, has entered a critical new phase with four bidders shortlisted as potential strategic equity partners.

Chris Schutte, former CEO of Astral Foods, has been given this year’s Lifetime Achiever award by South Africa’s Sunday Times […]

A new bird flu strain is heading towards South Africa, adding to the risks facing the local poultry industry.

The rapid pre-winter spread of bird flu across Europe has resulted in South Africa banning poultry imports from all European countries. This is the first time this has happened, and follows multiple outbreaks of the disease as the cold winter months approach.

A huge surge in subsidised sugar imports is threatening local producers and local jobs, according to the SA Canegrowers association.

South Africa’s critical need for economic growth and job creation in order to reduce food insecurity has been highlighted by FairPlay.

The South African government hopes to finalise a trade deal with the United States in the near future, President Cyril Ramaphosa said during a state visit to Switzerland.

While half of South Africa’s food exports go to other African countries, the real growth potential lies in Asia, according to agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo.

Africa’s agricultural sector holds huge potential for improving lives and economies, but it remains underfunded and underdeveloped.

South Africa’s poultry sector is a strategic national industry and should be recognised and treated as such by the government.

The South African government is confident that America’s AGOA trade agreement with African countries will be renewed once the US government shut down ends.

The improved performance of South Africa’s poultry industry was on show this month as two of the largest producers gave an insight into upcoming results announcements.

Bird flu vaccination works, now governments must act. This was the message from the world’s poultry veterinary associations, meeting earlier this month in Malaysia.

President Cyril Ramaphosa urged South Africa’s large supermarket groups to lower food prices, which he said were the cause of rising food price inflation.

The South African poultry industry has not applied for any new anti-dumping duties on chicken imports, and does not intend to do so in the near future.

South Africa can look forward to above-average rainfall into early 2026. This should herald another bumper grain harvest and lower feed prices for livestock producers.

While South Africa tries to lower the 30% tariffs charged on its agricultural exports to the United States, the country’s farmers are working hard to develop alternative markets.

South Africa’s poultry imports recovered markedly in August this year, but still showed the impact of the nine-week bird flu ban on chicken imports from Brazil.

South Africa’s food security is at its lowest level in more than 10 years, according to an index produced by a major supermarket group.

No South African poultry producer has been accused of anti-competitive behaviour, clarified the SA Poultry Association (SAPA), in response to media reports about the Competition Commission’s market inquiry into the industry.