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22 Janvier 2025
Poultry farming is the activity of raising domestic birds, mainly for their meat, eggs or feathers. It mainly concerns poultry such as: chickens (raised for meat production). Turkeys (often intended for meat consumption). Ducks and geese (raised for their meat, eggs or liver, especially for foie gras). Quails.
Poultry farming is an important branch of agriculture in many countries such as South Africa and can be practiced on a large scale (industrial farming) or on a small scale (family or artisanal farming). It plays a crucial role in the world's diet by providing animal protein.
Each year, South Africa slaughters more than 980 million broiler chickens. In 2020, production had already reached 1.42 million tonnes of chicken meat.
In 2022, national meat production reached 77,398 tonnes, covering 46% of national needs. White poultry meat contributed 40%, with a diversified livestock population including chickens, guinea fowl, ducks, quails, and turkeys. Chicken egg production amounted to 17,058.02 tonnes that year.
In 2022, the market share of imported chicken meat was estimated at 57%. Traditional chicken meat accounted for 34% of the market, while modern chicken meat occupied 9%. Thus, local products covered about 43% of the demand for chicken meat.
Chicken meat production in South Africa is expected to grow by 5.7% in 2024, reaching 1.59 million tonnes. According to estimates from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), this growth is expected to continue with local production estimated at over 1.64 million tonnes in 2025, an increase of 3.5%. However, the recent health crisis has led to the loss of over 10.5 million birds, including 3 million breeders and 7.5 million laying hens, causing economic losses of over $529 million to the industry.
In 2024, annual chicken meat consumption in South Africa is expected to exceed 1.8 million tonnes. To support this demand, chicken meat imports are expected to decline by 22,000 tonnes as local production is boosted. The South African processed meat market is expected to reach $629.69 million in 2024 and could grow to $878.23 million by 2029, with a growth of 6.88% during this period.
In short, the chicken meat industry in South Africa continues to strengthen, despite the challenges, and appears well positioned to meet the growing domestic needs. But with all these changes and forecasts, one might wonder: will chickens eventually outnumber South Africans?