The poultry industry’s operating environment had improved considerably, and it was much more confident about the future, he said.
“We must remember that the sole purpose of the master plan is to stimulate economic growth in the poultry industry.
“One of the salient points would be to replace imports. This industry for 10 years was a declining industry, becoming smaller and smaller, while the amount of imported chicken products just increased year on year at an alarming rate, and that precipitated the master plan.”
As a result of the master plan, the industry had invested in increased production capacity, and anti-dumping duties had been imposed.
“We’ve addressed a lot of the trade measures that were of concern. Dumping of chicken happened. We’ve got anti-dumping duties against nine countries.”
There had also been black economic empowerment in the form of 20 contract growers being established. (The master plan estimated that it cost R35 million to establish each contract grower.)
“I’m very optimistic that the industry and the environment in which the industry operates is more favourable now than four years ago,” Breitenbach said.
