South Africa’s poultry sector is a strategic national industry and should be recognised and treated as such by the government.
The industry’s view was set out by Izaak Breitenbach of the SA Poultry Association (SAPA) in an article in the Afrikaans Sunday newspaper Rapport.
Strategic industries were essential and irreplaceable, and poultry met these qualifications, Breitenbach said. Yet the poultry industry, which fed the nation, was often ignored by the government, despite the fact that its existence affected everyone in the country.
Poultry was every bit as strategic as the country’s automotive, mining and financial sectors, which have official status as strategic industries, he argued. Poultry’s national importance went beyond its significant contribution to employment and the gross national product.
“Truly strategic sectors are those that provide daily essentials to the community; sectors without which the country simply cannot function normally,
“They contribute to self-sufficiency, especially in times where imports are unreliable or unobtainable. They are resilient in times of crisis and can keep operating under heavy pressure,” he said.
Chicken was South Africa’s most affordable, accessible and popular protein source, eaten daily by millions.
“Surely countries that are dependent on imports for their daily protein supply are more vulnerable than those that have to import vehicles or equipment?”.
The poultry industry supplied 80% of the chicken consumed in the country. It had provided a steady chicken supply during the disruptions of the Covid-19 pandemic, and during the 2023 nationwide bird flu outbreak. Chicken was part of every South African’s diet.
Breitenbach did not refer directly to the current trade negotiations between South Africa and the United States, where the poultry industry has said its interests are being prejudiced yet it is denied a seat at the negotiating table.
However, he said recognition of the sector as strategic would mean:
- Policy consistency, especially during trade negotiations and in the objectives of the poultry master plan.
- The involvement of industry representatives in relevant trade discussions, instead of “secret negotiations”.
- Compensation for chickens the government orders culled during bird flu outbreaks, or at least the lessening of the expensive bio-security protocols to enable greater access to bird flu vaccinations.
“The poultry industry feeds the nation, supports grain farmers, provides work in rural areas and keeps us self-sufficient in one of our most fundamental life essentials.
“According to these criteria, poultry not only qualifies as strategic, it is the basis on which everything else is built,” Breitenbach concluded.
