Eggs in a tray File Picture
Durban - KwaZulu-Natal farmers and civil society group Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group have welcomed the importation of eggs and poultry products, provided it does not negatively affect the local poultry sector.
Farmers said they understood the need to import eggs and poultry as the parental stock had been affected by the avian flu outbreak.
The Department of Agriculture announced that it would import poultry and eggs to ensure there was no shortage during the festive season.
Mervyn Abrahams, programme co-ordinator at the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group, said he was concerned about the impact the importation of eggs and chicken could have on the local poultry industry.
“The avian flu outbreak has caused an increase in the price of poultry and egg products, however, we can expect some relief due to the importing of poultry and eggs. However, this needs to have a time limit as we need the avian flu to be controlled as continued importing of poultry products can destroy our local poultry industry,” Abrahams said.
Lee Pather, owner of Leepat Poultry in Silverglen, said the importation of poultry products was necessary.
“The avian flu has had a major impact on the poultry industry and the parental stock of eggs and chickens have been affected. So we need poultry and eggs to be imported. It is also going to be used to hatch chickens which, in the long term, is going to replenish the parental stock. It’s a long process. It can take up to one year for the imports to help and get the local poultry industry to full capacity.”
Pather added that the imports would help to ensure there was no shortage of chicken over the festive season.
Sandile Ndlovu, a layer poultry farmer in Ndwedwe, north of Durban, said the local poultry farmers would be affected by the importation of eggs and poultry.
“I understand the need for the importing but there’s a possibility it could affect the local industry. We have been badly affected by the avian flu outbreak and supply has been affected and that is why prices are high at the moment.”
SA Poultry Association general manager Izaak Breitenbach welcomed the intervention by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development.
“The importation of broiler hatching eggs will replace the hatching eggs we lost because of avian flu. That means we will still grow the broilers locally; they will eat local feed, maize and soya and will keep local jobs. This will actually help the industry to survive.”
Breitenbach said that the importation of frozen poultry meat was the norm in the country.
“The hatching eggs ordered will reach South Africa at the right time during the next six months to alleviate poultry meat shortages. The table egg shortage will last until December with no indications that it should get worse. In terms of meat, we don’t expect a massive meat shortage that will drive up prices.”
Reggie Ngcobo, spokesperson for Agriculture Minister Thoko Didiza, said the minister had decided to allow the importation of table eggs, fertilised eggs and poultry meat to ensure sufficient stocks for the Christmas holiday season.
“Since the 1st of September 2023, the department has granted 115 permits for fertiliser eggs, 48 permits for egg powder, 2406 permits for poultry meat and 24 permits for table eggs,” said Ngcobo, adding that some consignments had already arrived, while others were in transit.
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