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The drop in chicken prices this year, and the lack of any shortage in December, has been confirmed by Izaak Breitenbach of the SA Poultry Association (SAPA).

Another problem for South Africa’s poultry farmers is the delays in implementing vaccination against avian influenza (bird flu) because the government has imposed onerous conditions on farmers wanting to use them.

South Africa’s poultry and irrigation-dependent farmers will be dreading the double-digit electricity tariff hikes coming this year.

South Africa is the only country in the world where businesses list infrastructure failure as the principal risk they face in the year ahead. They’ve done so for two years in a row.

South African companies have signed a R300 million a year deal to supply chicken feet to China where they are a delicacy in great demand.

The government has put veterinary doctors and nurses back on the critical skills list, making it easier for foreign vets to work in South Africa.

Instead of a plan to support South Africa’s beleaguered poultry industry, the government has imposed another unnecessary burden in the form of subsidised imports of nearly every chicken product.

The South African government’s controversial proposal to encourage more chicken imports through lower import tariffs has not gone away.

Trade statistics show that poultry imports into South Africa are rising, posing concerns for local producers.

South African poultry producers may see a rebound in 2024 following a challenging 2023 marked by factors like power outages, municipal decay, and avian flu.

Trade minister, Ebrahim Patel, is confident that South Africa’s Agoa participation will not suffer when the US congress legislates to renew the deal next year.

While South Africa is classed as the most food secure country in sub-Saharan Africa, millions of South Africans go to bed hungry at night.

The Democratic Alliance has issued a statement calling on government to urgently fill more than 100 state vet vacancies.

Brazil sets a record with over 5 million tonnes of poultry exported in 2023, marking a 6.6% increase from the previous year.

The lengthening list of mammals affected by avian influenza (bird flu) now includes polar bears.

Renewed bird flu outbreaks in the United States prompt Russia to consider banning the transit of US poultry, potentially escalating tensions between the two nations.

Will South Africa’s chicken importers persist in exaggerating figures and making outlandish predictions to advocate for reduced import tariffs, masking potential profit gains, and overlooking the impact on local farmers and jobs?

The poor performance of South Africa’s poultry industry contributed substantially to the 9.6% contraction in the gross value added by the country’s agricultural sector in the third quarter of 2023.

Brazil, the world’s leading poultry exporter, is likely to show increased export volumes for 2023, according to statistics up to November last year.

Brazil supplies 90% of all poultry imports into South Africa. What happens to that trade if and when avian influenza (bird flu) hits Brazil’s commercial poultry flocks and bird flu bans come into place?

South Africa’s food price inflation remains high, while overall consumer price inflation levels are dropping.

The poultry and aquaculture sectors set to see modest growth in 2024, while the beef, pork and wild seafood sectors were likely to contract.

Amidst a tumultuous year, FairPlay’s advocacy for fair trade reached a critical juncture, as we fought against dumping threats on the South African poultry industry and confronted government proposals that could impact local jobs.

Animal diseases have become a significant global challenge. But few countries have had to deal with the intensity of these disease outbreaks — foot and mouth, African swine fever and avian influenza — almost simultaneously, as South Africa has had to do.

In a world where global competitiveness is key, South Africa’s chicken industry must navigate the complexities of international trade, and scrutinise the hurdles and opportunities on the path to global prominence.

2023 has been the most challenging year in the South African Poultry Association’s century-old existence.

Chicken importers continue to call for import tariff rebates, but they are using questionable calculations to justify the proposal.

South Africa’s unemployment rate remains one of the highest in the world, despite a slight improvement in the latest numbers.

Bird flu will come back every year and the only way poultry farmers can protect their flocks is through vaccination, says Astral CEO Chris Schutte.

The DA says it may apply to place the Department of Agriculture’s animal health division under administration, citing delays in avian flu vaccine procurement and complex requirements harming poultry farmers.

South Africa’s electricity shortages and the spread of bird flu have tipped the country’s largest poultry producer, Astral Foods, into the first loss in its 23-year history.

Astral Foods says that it needs to increase chicken prices to recover losses due to bird flu, load shedding and high input costs. The government says that, if prices go up, it will encourage chicken imports by lifting anti-dumping duties.

Meat importers are selling more chicken in South Africa than Astral, the country’s largest poultry producer.