ALARM bells are sounding for South Africa’s chicken supplies, as Brazil – the country’s top source of imported chicken – has detected two cases of avian influenza in wild birds, according to Hume International. In response, the government urgently needs to implement proactive measures to avoid a looming crisis, warn experts. Per guidelines from the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), the incident will not trigger a ban on poultry exports from Brazil unless the virus spreads to commercial flocks. However, the contagious nature of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has led to the worst global outbreak of bird flu on record, which means that South Africa must prepare for the worst, explains managing director of Hume International, Fred Hume.

“If imports from Brazil are banned, there would be an immediate and potentially crippling impact on the local market which would cost thousands of jobs, cause dramatic increases in prices, and result in supply shortages,” he emphasises. “It’s not only prudent but necessary to consider the dire consequences that would unfold should the outbreak impact chicken imports from Brazil. Local poultry producers simply cannot satisfy local demand, and South Africa is heavily reliant on Brazil to fill the void in supply,” he says. The National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC) notes that Brazil provided as much as 75% of South Africa’s imported chicken in 2022. Given the heightened demand for cheaper animal protein, especially among struggling and financially vulnerable households, Brazilian chicken imports thus play an essential role in supplementing local supply chains.

This role has only become more critical as intensified loadshedding has sparked growing poultry shortages, accelerating chicken and meat price inflation.  Source: SA’s largest poultry source hit by flu outbreak – what happens next? – KZN Industrial & Business News (kznindustrialnews.co.za)