Poulty sector urges government to expedite bird flu vaccination efforts

SA Poultry Association says stringent biosecurity protocols have hampered its attempts to vaccinate

Sapa said its efforts to vaccinate against bird flu remained stalled due to stringent biosecurity protocols, leaving the industry vulnerable to outbreaks.
Sapa said its efforts to vaccinate against bird flu remained stalled due to stringent biosecurity protocols, leaving the industry vulnerable to outbreaks.
Image: UNSPLASH

The SA Poultry Association (Sapa) has called on the government and agriculture minister John Steenhuisen for urgent intervention to roll out bird flu vaccinations and implement measures to secure the future of the industry.

The R65bn sector, SA’s second-largest agricultural industry, employs nearly 58,000 people across the value chain.

Sapa said its efforts to vaccinate against bird flu remained stalled due to stringent biosecurity protocols, leaving the industry vulnerable to outbreaks.

“To date, no farm has been able to adhere to the stringent biosecurity protocols required for vaccination approval, creating a dilemma for the industry,” Sapa said.

The association said bird flu outbreaks were affecting most European countries and many US states.

SA experienced its worst bird flu crisis in 2023, battling both the global H5N1 strain and the local H7N6 strain. While three H5 vaccines have been approved, H7 vaccines are months away from being approved.

“Weekly negotiations with the government continue, but a practical and implementable solution remains elusive. The industry continues to urge Minister Steenhuisen to intervene, compensate farmers for culled chickens, and facilitate vaccination — a vital step to safeguard the future of poultry production, SA’s preferred protein.”

The challenges extend to imports, with tariff-free mechanically deboned meat and offal from other regions flooding the market.

“Argentina, exempt from anti-dumping measures, is the latest country to flood the SA market with cheap chicken, putting local producers under pressure,” Sapa said.

While imports from Europe, including the UK and Hungary, have declined due to bird flu outbreaks, export opportunities are improving.

To date, no farm has been able to adhere to the stringent biosecurity protocols required for vaccination approval, creating a dilemma for the industry
Sapa

Inspections to open markets in the UK, EU, and Saudi Arabia for cooked chicken products, such as breast meat, are expected soon, however, exports of uncooked chicken to these markets are not expected in the near future.

Rising feed costs, compounded by a weaker rand and global market pressures, continue to strain local producers.

Though broiler chicken prices increased in 2024, many farmers remain reluctant to expand production due to the lack of vaccination protocols and financial support.

In response to consumer hardships, Sapa and industry stakeholders have proposed a VAT exemption on frozen chicken cuts and offal to make chicken more affordable for lower-income households.

marxj@businesslive.co.za


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