Vicious strain of bird flu is bad news for chicken lovers in SA. Outbreak could lead to shortages and higher prices. Picture: AFP/Fotor.
BAD news for chicken lovers in SA
Vicious strain of bird flu is bad news for chicken lovers in SA. Outbreak could lead to shortages and higher prices.
Vicious strain of bird flu is bad news for chicken lovers in SA. Outbreak could lead to shortages and higher prices. Picture: AFP/Fotor.
It’s bad news for chicken lovers in SA as local poultry farmers warn of the worst bird flu outbreak in recent years. According to Daily Investor, a widespread chicken and egg shortage is possible, bringing with it hiked prices for this most sought-after commodity.
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One of SA’s most prolific chicken producers, Quantum Foods, says it has already lost upwards of two million chickens this year. The poultry lost is valued at approximately R100 million. However, the bird flu outbreak itself has cost the company nearly R220 million so far.
BAD NEWS FOR CHICKEN LOVERS
Another chicken producer, Astral, has said, “The bird flu outbreak is the worst that South Africa has witnessed. It has already caused short supplies of table eggs into the market, and it is expected that the supply of poultry meat into the value chain could be affected negatively in the coming months,” the said in t trading report this week.
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The bad news for chicken lovers started back April when the first bird flu cases in commercial farms were noted. There are in fact two strains of bird flu doing the rounds at the moment.
CAN HUMANS BE INFECTED?
The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) said there are currently two different strains of bird flu out there. H5N1 and a new strain identified as H7N6. Don’t worry, we’re reliably told that bird flu cannot infect humans. But H5N1 is increasingly infecting different mammals around the world.
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SAPA says the number of avian flu cases in South Africa in 2023 is higher than in any year since bird flu was first recorded in 2017. We will keep an eye on this story through our weekly grocery basket comparisons to see if the price of chicken and eggs is shifting in any meaningful way.
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What do you think of this bad news for chicken lovers in SA? Will this lead you to buy less chicken? Be sure to share your thoughts with our audience in the comments section below. Send an email to info@thesouthafrican.com.
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