JOHANNESBURG - The South African Poultry Association (Sapa) said in a statement yesterday it was “positive” about the progress made in addressing the crisis threatening the industry.
This followed a recent meeting with the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) and other stakeholders.
Sapa said it was in full support of the process that Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel had outlined to support economic growth, investment in and the expansion of the chicken industry.
“It is heartening to see the recognition of the value of the South African poultry industry within the country’s economy,” the organisation said.
“It is Sapa’s hope that the unanimous undertaking by all stakeholders to actively support the goal of growing our highly efficient local poultry industry will bear fruit.”
The local poultry industry has come under pressure in recent years, as a result, in part, of increased competition from imports. In South Africa, imports of poultry average 45000 tons a month, or 11250tons a week, affecting thousands of jobs in an industry that employs about 50000 people.
Sapa has applied to the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa for the import tariffs on chicken to increase to 82percent. But other groups say the price of chicken could increase by between 20percent and 30percent if the proposed tariff change were implemented.