Rainbow, South Africa’s second-largest poultry producer, has asked for more government help to support the industry’s export drive, which is key to its long-term growth.
In a letter to shareholders reported by Business Times, Rainbow chair Pieter Louw said the poultry industry needed the government to create an enabling environment to penetrate the lucrative export market.
“South Africa’s next phase of poultry growth will increasingly depend on the ability to export. Expanding export opportunities will require government support to unlock markets and assist with overcoming veterinary and other barriers, and regulatory requirements.”
A major complaint raised by agricultural bodies was the billions lost due to state-level administrative delays, the newspaper said. Failure to streamline veterinary certification, delayed export approvals and rigorous sanitary protocols kept South African meat products locked out of prospective markets.
Rainbow CEO Marthinus Stander stressed the importance of exports for the poultry industry’s growth.
“Following the substantial import replacement since 2018, the scope for further growth through import substitution is increasingly limited.”
Stander said Africa was a particularly important part of Rainbow’s long-term growth ambition. The poultry industry had invested in quality assurance systems and customer-centred capabilities to ensure it met the standards required in international markets.
