October 26, 2023

South Africa's independent poultry, egg producers largely unaffected by avian flu, country's cabinet claims

South Africa's cabinet claimed that the majority of independent poultry and egg producers in the country have not been affected by avian flu as several South African farmers work around the clock to curb the outbreak.

This is according to the Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who said the cabinet was updated on containment measures to limit the spread and impact of avian influenza.

"Cabinet has noted that majority of independent poultry and egg producers have not been affected by avian flu," said the minister during a media briefing on October 19.

Still, the outbreak, according to Ntshavheni, has "severely" affected the economy and the poultry sector.

"The Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, has met with retailers and the South African Poultry Association to discuss possible solutions in the short and the medium term to increase egg and chicken supply," the minister added.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) said there are currently two different strains that are causing avian influenza outbreaks in South Africa; these are influenza A(H5N1) and influenza A (H7N6).

The NICD added that H7N6 has been reported since June 2023, with 50 outbreaks to date recorded in poultry farms in the Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West and KwaZulu-Natal and non-poultry birds in Gauteng.

- South African Government News Agency