A vaccination programme against bird flu would not bring an immediate end to shortages of eggs and chicken meat, the SA Poultry Association (SAPA) has warned.
SAPA’s Izaak Breitenbach said egg shortages were already being felt, and the reduced production of local chicken meat would be felt in six to eight weeks’ time.
He expected chicken imports to increase to supply local demand, particularly in the peak months of November and December. Egg imports were impractical because of the lengthy shipment period.
Frozen chicken portions were being imported from Brazil and the United States, and bird flu restrictions had been lifted from Ireland, Spain and Argentina, allowing them to resume exports to South Africa.
Broiler breeders would be importing 21.5 million fertile hatching eggs, but this would only make a small contribution to South Africa’s chicken meat supply. The country normally slaughters 21.5 million chickens a week to meet local demand.
“This problem is not going away tomorrow. It will take us six to 18 months to replace the stock that we have culled to date. Some producers are reluctant to restock immediately, as their new replacement stock might have to be culled.”
