South Africa without chicken this Christmas. Image via Pexels.
‘Gloomy Christmas’: Chicken price spike in South Africa – Report
South Africans are facing the possibility of a Christmas without chicken this festive season due to price hikes.
South Africa without chicken this Christmas. Image via Pexels.
The managing director of Hume International that imports and exports food has warned in a statement that South Africans should brace for a Christmas without chicken.
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‘SOUTH AFRICA WITHOUT CHICKEN THIS CHRISTMAS‘
Sunday World reports that South Africa has lost more than 20% of the national chicken population, with 4 million chickens destroyed amid the South African avian flu epidemic.
Fred Hume, who is the managing director of food distributing company Hume International adds that South Africa has been dragging its feet in reopening poultry trade with certain countries such as Poland, Belgium, and Argentina, even though they have been declared bird flu-free.
“Once countries have been declared free of bird flu by the relevant regulatory bodies, trade should be resumed promptly. Delayed action to resolve the three major issues plaguing local poultry supply will result in a significant shortfall accompanied by a striking price increase on the inevitably limited stock.”
Hume adds that the latest figures from the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group’s household food basket show that the price of a 10kg bag of frozen chicken pieces increased from R383.37 in July to R394.70 in August.
“As local market pressures hit supply chains, South Africans should expect this trend to only increase in ferocity.”
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POULTRY ASSOCIATION: FEARS OF CHICKENLESS CHRISTMAS EXAGERRATED
The CEO of the South African Poultry Association, Izaak Breitenbach however says he’s not concerned about the country having chicken shortage, but bird flu might see prices increase, reports The Citizen.
Breitenbach added that South Africa is a big country and produces in the region of 21.5 million broiler birds per week.
“I would expect the highly pathogenic avian influenza to impact the supply of chicken meat to the industry, but I do not think we will run out of chicken meat coming up to Christmas.”
Breitenbach also says South Africans tend to eat a lot more chicken between September and December and prices tend to increase.
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