Higher prices as chicken and egg shortages hit South Africa

GAUTENG – More than seven (7) million birds have been culled within the South African poultry industry in 2023 since the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). South Africans are facing a shortage of chicken meat and eggs as bird flu wreaks havoc across the country. South African consumers should expect to pay higher prices for poultry during the festive period due to the severe avian flu outbreak. “We are already seeing shortages in commercial table eggs in the marketplace, and that will put upward pressure on the price of table eggs,” said the general manager of the SA Poultry Association, Izaak Breitenbach. He added that chicken meat prices will also likely increase over the festive period.