The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) has urged Government to put in place policies that will help especially small-scale poultry farmers to recover from the recent outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). SAPA has also reported that the sector now seems to be recovering from HPAI, as a result of swift action by the industry, including the imposition of strong biosecurity protocols and monitoring programmes. So far, 8.5-million chickens had been culled (of which some 6-million were egg layers and more than 2.5-million were broiler breeder chickens). Farmers were, however, finding it difficult to recover their costs, particularly during this recovery process. Many livelihoods were at risk. “A change in [Government] policy is needed to support impacted producers, and such a cost recovery mechanism will serve well to keep consumer prices low and our farmers afloat,” urged SAPA Broiler Organisation GM Izaak Breitenbach.
