Reports show that South Africa consumes around 3,9 million tons of meat, 60% of which is chicken, but black producers continue to be insignificant players. South Africa’s black poultry producers have decided to launch their own body to drive transformation in the poultry sector.
The decision follows years of no representation at important transformation discussions, including the Poultry Sector Master Plan. Kobedi Pilane, Interim Secretary of the NPTT P said for many years black smallholder poultry producers have been omitted from important discussions that have a direct impact on their livelihoods. He added that, over the years, despite billions of rand being pumped in by the government to transform the sector, little progress has been made.
“This is due to small-scale producers having to compete with large companies on the open market, with barriers to entry set too high. The industry is still dominated, to the point of a monopoly, by few players,” explained Pilane.
The newly formed body, APP aims to work with all stakeholders involved to ensure inclusive growth of a transformed sector that will positively contribute to South Africa’s economic growth, job creation, and poverty alleviation.
“We appreciate efforts already being made by the industry to transform. The formation of APP is to enhance these efforts and share ideas on how transformation can be fast-tracked in order for farmers of any race or creed to share in the benefits of this lucrative industry while ensuring food security for all,” said Kobedi Pilane, Interim Secretary of the NPTT.
Poultry producers who are African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (AFASA) members gathered to form the National Poultry Task Team (NPTT). Nakana Masoka, AFASA secretary-general said there is no better time for black poultry farmers to organise themselves to ensure that they play a meaningful role in the sector.
The NPTT noted that while black smallholder farmers may initially have been left out of the Poultry Master Plan development process, they have now become part of the process and are participating in various working streams of the Master Plan before finalisation and, more so, will play an important part in implementing it. They seek to ensure that the Poultry Master Plan results in:
• Transformation of the poultry sector.
• Equal opportunities for black farmers.
• Enhanced equity ownership by black farmers of the poultry value chain.
