The importance of a bird flu vaccination programme, and the risks of a delay, were highlighted by FairPlay founder Francois Baird.
The bird flu threat to the poultry industry was a matter of national concern, Baird said in an article in Business Day. This was because of the size of the industry and its major contribution to South Africa’s food supply and food security.
“Poultry feeds the nation,” Baird wrote.
“Chicken accounts for 66% of all meat consumed in the country, according the Bureau for Food & Agricultural Policy. The 1.7-million tonnes of poultry produced a year are twice that of beef (760,000 tonnes) and five times that of pork (300,000 tonnes), bureau research shows.”
Around the world, bird flu vaccinations were being seen as the best way to prevent the widespread outbreaks that have devastated global poultry flocks. In Europe, the United States and South Africa, culling had been ineffective in curbing the disease and preventing its spread.
Local production accounted for 80% of South Africa’s chicken consumption and the industry was getting stronger after the huge losses caused by the 2023 bird flu outbreak.
“Another industry crash would be devastating for poor people, for whom chicken is the primary source of meat protein, and for jobs in rural areas,” Baird said.
However, the three JSE-listed poultry producers — Astral, Rainbow and Quantum — had all flagged the possibility of new bird flu outbreaks as a threat to their future business.
“Because it produces most of the meat consumed in the country, poultry is a strategic national industry, essential for our food security. Any threat to that industry, or government inaction that impedes growth or exposes producers to avoidable risks, is a matter of national concern,” Baird concluded.
