Fin24 reports that Agriculture Minister Senzeni Zokwana warned in Parliament on Wednesday that poultry producers, especially those in KwaZulu-Natal, were on the brink of closing shop.  

He was speaking ahead of public hearings on challenges facing the beleaguered poultry industry.  Zokwana's comments came hot on the heels of Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa vowing that government would do everything in its power to ensure that there were no factory closures or job losses in the sector.  Major chicken producer RCL Foods has warned it would have to let more than 1,300 workers go and shut down various farms in Hammarsdale in KZN owing to unfavourable conditions in the industry.  Government has established two task teams to urgently address the situation within the industry.  Labour federation Cosatu will be among those making submissions in Parliament on Thursday.

• Read this report by Joylene Van Wyk and Adiel Ismail in full at Fin24
• See too, Call to unmask importers dumping poultry into SA, at BusinessLive
• And also, Poultry woes not due to imports, says meat importers association, at BusinessLive
• As well as, Agriculture dept prefers ‘measured approach’ to poultry industry crisis, at The Citizen

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page