South Africa’s poultry industry is preparing contingency plans to redirect products to the local market should ongoing instability in the Middle East disrupt exports to the United Arab Emirates.
Speaking at an industry roundtable, Izaak Breitenbach, CEO of the South African Poultry Association (SAPA), said the sector currently exports around 50,000 tonnes of cooked chicken products to the UAE each year. However, with geopolitical tensions affecting shipping routes, the industry is developing strategies to ensure that production is not lost.
Breitenbach explained that if export channels are disrupted, poultry products would be redirected into the domestic market, where they could be repackaged as frozen chicken or processed foods. This approach would help prevent waste while maintaining supply chain stability.
The discussion coincides with findings from the Bureau of Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP), in a report commissioned by SAPA, which outlines key trends in the country’s poultry sector. According to the report, poultry consumption in South Africa has grown by 8.8% over the past decade, although this lags behind production growth of 11.8% over the same period. Annual consumption growth has also slowed compared to previous years, indicating softer demand momentum.
Despite these challenges, South Africa remains one of the world’s leading poultry producers. A benchmarking study comparing countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, Brazil, Poland, South Africa, and the United States ranked South Africa among the most competitive producers, particularly in terms of efficiency and cost structures.
Tracy Davids, Executive Director of BFAP and co-author of the report, noted that competitiveness is measured across factors such as feed costs, input prices, technical efficiency, and overall production costs. The benchmarking programme, conducted in collaboration with Wageningen University and Research, has been tracking performance trends since 2015.
The sector’s growth over the past decade has come despite significant challenges, including global supply chain disruptions, electricity constraints due to load-shedding, and recurring drought conditions. A key driver of recovery has been the Poultry Industry Masterplan, launched in 2019 to support local producers against rising imports.
Today, poultry is the largest contributor to South Africa’s agricultural gross production value, generating more than R68 billion in 2024. Industry turnover has also increased from approximately R65 billion in 2019 to R74 billion in 2025.
The sector plays a critical role in employment, directly supporting around 56,000 jobs, while an estimated 110,000 people rely on the broader poultry value chain. Production has also reached record levels, with weekly slaughter figures rising from 19.7 million birds in 2019 to about 23 million birds currently.
However, domestic consumption remains under pressure due to declining household purchasing power. BFAP data shows that per capita meat consumption has been falling since 2018, although moderate recovery is expected over the next decade, largely driven by population growth rather than increased consumer spending.
As production continues to expand, exports will remain essential for balancing supply. In addition to the Middle East, the industry is exploring opportunities to grow exports to Europe and the United Kingdom.
At the same time, the sector is preparing for a possible rollout of vaccination against Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. Breitenbach confirmed that vaccine supplies are available and that mass vaccination could begin as soon as regulatory approval is granted.
Overall, the South African poultry industry is positioning itself to remain resilient amid global uncertainty, balancing export ambitions with the flexibility to absorb supply into the domestic market when necessary.
