Sunday Tribune reports that Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said last week that poultry production had to be made profitable again to save jobs.  

He was responding to the unfolding crisis in the poultry industry where hundreds of workers, including more than 1,300 in KwaZulu-Natal, stand to lose their jobs as companies close or cut back their operations as dumping affects their bottom line.  His appeal to local chicken-producing companies was: “Work with us.  By doing this the poultry industry can be made lucrative again.”  Davies said the solution was to increase competitiveness.  He indicated that a task team, made up of representatives from different government departments and the industry, was addressing the crisis and was making progress.  “We want to use whatever support measures are available to us to assist the situation.  Jobs at risk is our big concern.  We have been negotiating with some companies and encouraged them not to lay off workers,” Davies said.

• Read this report by “Mervyn Naidoo in full at Sunday Tribune
• See too, Government attempts to curb poultry industry bloodbath, at eNCA
• And also, Poultry task team makes progress in finding solutions to sector challenges, at Engineering News
• As well as, Government announces measures to curb poultry jobs bloodbath, at Business Report

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