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Two government departments are giving conflicting statistics about South Africa’s chicken exports.

The master plan’s commitment to VAT-free chicken comes at a time when millions of poor South Africans are struggling to afford a healthy diet.

Astral, South Africa’s largest poultry producer, is anticipating a stunning start to its 2026 financial year.

America’s trade deal benefiting African countries – the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) – is going to be “reformed” before it is renewed again, the United States congress has been told.

Last week, the FairPlay Bulletin highlighted the gloomy prospects for South Africa’s agricultural producers and consumers resulting from the combination of war (the Iran conflict) and weather (the possibility of lower rainfall and even drought because of a looming El Niño weather pattern).

While the Trump administration has begun the process that would enable the refund of $166 billion in tariffs that have been declared illegal, United States importers are still not sure of a quick repayment

Britain is testing a vaccine that would protect humans from a potential bird flu pandemic.

South Africa’s fight against dumped chicken imports is far from over.

Without the protection of readily-available vaccination against avian influenza (HPAI or bird flu), poultry farmers must look after their flocks through the strongest possible biosecurity measures.

The focus of the South African poultry industry will have to shift from competing against chicken imports on the local market to competing for exports with other large national producers on the global market.

Chicken importers keep repeating the claim that South Africa can’t produce enough chicken, but the facts show imports distort the market, not support it.

High-level talks between South Africa and neighbouring states are required to address trade frictions, according to agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo.

France’s programme to vaccinate all ducks against avian influenza (HPAI or bird flu) had contributed to a significant lowering of bird flu outbreaks in French poultry flocks, according to an official assessment of the vaccination success.

The nutritional advantages of chicken are highlighted in the latest food inflation brief from the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP).

A company using satellites to monitor terrestrial changes believes its programme to support Ukraine’s agricultural sector would also be applicable across Southern Africa.

As the war in the Middle East pushes up fuel prices, concerns are rising about agricultural costs, profitability and food […]

Iran’s offer to include South Africa on its list of “friendly” countries allowed to export oil through the Strait of Hormuz is something of a poisoned chalice.

Widespread outbreaks of avian influenza (bird flu) during the recent European winter have led to a new push for a global vaccine drive against the virus.

Daybreak Foods, once South Africa’s fifth largest poultry producer, appears to be near collapse.

The poultry industry took its drive for VAT-free chicken to parliament last week.

Astral Foods, South Africa’s largest poultry producer, expects first-half earnings to jump more than five-fold as strong demand resulted in higher sales. Rainbow, the country’s second-largest poultry producer, also delivered very good results for the first half of its financial year.

The South African sugar industry is being destabilised by a continuing surge in cheap sugar imports, according to the SA […]

The Trump administration is preparing for a new round of tariffs on its trading partners, including South Africa.

After a series of discussions with government officials, the SA Poultry Association (SAPA) is cautiously optimistic that progress is being made towards a revised set of rules that would enable mass vaccinations against avian influenza.

The South African poultry industry was ready to vaccinate chickens as soon as agreement was reached on a revised and more affordable set of vaccination requirements, SAPA’s Izaak Breitenbach said.

Continued growth in South Africa’s poultry industry depends on increasing exports and opening up new markets, according to Izaak Breitenbach of the SA Poultry Association (SAPA).

The poultry industry continues to wear the crown as South Africa’s most valuable agricultural industry.

The Trump administration is working on a system to simplify refunds of some $366 billion paid in tariffs that have since been declared illegal.

South Africa’s bird flu vaccination is “at a standstill”, according to the latest quarterly bird flu report from the SA Poultry Association (SAPA).

America’s AGOA trade preferences for African countries have been renewed until the end of 2026. Is that good for South African exporters? Yes, but only partly.

Sharply rising beef prices due to the foot and mouth disease crisis are among the drivers of South Africa’s higher food inflation rate.

The decline and virtual collapse of South Africa’s once-renowned state veterinary facilities at Onderstepoort are recorded in great detail in an article on News24.

South Africa’s poor and hungry would suffer from the government’s continued refusal to remove value added tax (VAT) from chicken, FairPlay founder Francois Baird said in a statement.