The South African Poultry Association (Sapa) warns of a potential avian influenza outbreak, urging prioritization of vaccination measures. The industry is still recovering from the 2023 outbreak which caused a significant loss in egg production. Sapa emphasizes the need for collaborative efforts between the industry and government to mitigate the risk of another outbreak.
South Africa ns experienced a surge in egg prices during 2023 due to a widespread avian influenza outbreak. The repercussions of this outbreak are still being felt as farmers grapple with its impact on egg production. The South Africa n Poultry Association ( Sapa ) has raised concerns about the possibility of another outbreak, citing the early and aggressive spread of avian flu in Europe.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu, is a contagious viral disease that affects both domestic and wild birds. During outbreaks, affected poultry, whether infected or healthy, are often culled to contain the disease's spread. The 2023 outbreak resulted in a significant loss of approximately 30% of the nation's egg production.Recovering from this loss has been a prolonged process, taking about 17 months. As of early 2024, the industry had rebounded to around 19 million layer hens and is currently at 23 million. Sapa CEO, Izaak Breitenbach, stated that the industry averted food shortages and price increases by importing over 285 million hatching eggs to replenish the supply lost during the outbreak. While broiler meat prices experienced a spike between November and December 2023, they have since declined as production levels have normalized.However, the early onset of avian flu in Europe, coupled with the closure of three additional US states due to the virus in the past month, has prompted Sapa to urge South Africa to prioritize vaccination measures to mitigate potential outbreaks. They emphasize that standard biosecurity protocols, while crucial, may not be sufficient to halt an outbreak. Sapa's representative, Balarane, highlighted the existence of a vaccination protocol published by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) in November 2023. Three H5 vaccines are currently registered for use in South Africa, while H7 vaccines are still undergoing the registration process. Balarane acknowledged the challenges producers face in implementing certain aspects of the approved protocols, particularly the associated costs. He revealed that Sapa has been actively engaging with DALRRD since the second half of 2023, meeting almost twice a month to refine the protocols.Sapa remains optimistic that continued negotiations with DALRRD in 2025 will lead to a definitive resolution. Balarane stressed the urgency of finalizing protocol negotiations, vaccine registration, and farm application approvals to expedite the vaccination process. He expressed concern about the possibility of another avian influenza outbreak without adequate vaccine protection, potentially resulting in severe consequences for the industry. Breitenbach echoed this sentiment, urging DALRRD Minister John Steenhuisen to intervene and allow producers to implement vaccination programs
Avian Influenza Bird Flu South Africa Poultry Industry Egg Prices Vaccination Food Security Sapa
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