BL Premium reports that SA’s poultry industry has warned that prices will surge exponentially if the government does not move to zero-rate chicken, as the sector is hamstrung by intensified load-shedding.
Preferred by many South Africans as the main source of protein, chicken has been in short supply in recent weeks as fewer chickens are being slaughtered as a result of power outages that have only intensified in recent weeks. Chair of the SA Poultry Association, Izaak Breytenbach, advised that the effects of load-shedding were devastating for the sector’s operations even as both large and small scale farmers grapple with high input costs that have pushed prices of chicken up about 17% in 2022. Local producers have also been competing with an influx of imports flooding the market. Explaining that poultry producers run 24-hour operations and slaughter 3-million chickens a day, he said during every hour there was no power, losses were being incurred. The shortages are being felt by fast food restaurants such as KFC, and Breytenbach warned that they are now spilling over to the retailers and the wholesale trade. Last week agriculture, land reform & rural development minister Thoko Didiza met with leaders of the agriculture sector to assess the effects of load-shedding on business activity and plans for the sector. Stakeholders called for the establishment of a sector task team comprising the government, industry participants and energy specialists to monitor the effects of load-shedding.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Michelle Gumede at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
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