BOTHAVILLE, Free State – The Poultry Masterplan is entering a critical new phase aimed at sustaining South Africa’s poultry farmers while opening doors for emerging players, with a central focus on transitioning the domestic-focused industry into a global export powerhouse.
Currently, local egg exports remain largely restricted to neighbouring SADC countries, but industry leaders are setting their sights on breaking into broader international markets.
The discussions unfolded at the NAMPO Harvest Day in Bothaville, where more than 15,000 people passed through the gates on opening day alone. Over 1,000 stalls showcased agricultural produce and innovation, including crop farmers, livestock farmers, and agricultural equipment.
Wisdom Matsheka, provincial chairperson of AFASA in the North West, outlined the significant challenges facing smallholder farmers in the poultry sector.
“Our AFASA members are encountering challenges, of course, like good agricultural practice,” Matsheka said. “You need to undergo those practices in order to be compliant. To have a course like that, you need at least 150,000 [rand].”
He added that HACCP certification, required for exports to both international markets and the SADC region, costs over 200,000 rand.
Matsheka also highlighted access to medication as a critical issue. “When you have an avian flu disease, you have access to medication that will be a challenge to really be adequate in stores,” he said.
Despite these obstacles, Matsheka noted progress. “Our members are still scratching the surface when you come in an environment like this. You really see the advancement of technology, the precision of farming.”
He cited a Mpumalanga farmer currently constructing a 100 million rand structure with the help of Land Bank. “We are breaking ground on export,” Matsheka said. “One of our guys, has been really trying to help us as AFASA to have a Japanese market, so that some of our chickens can be exported to Japan and all our neighbouring countries.”
The gathering also heard that fuel increases are creating widespread challenges for farmers across the sector.
