The Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Zuko Godlimpi has welcomed the commitment of stakeholders to implement Phase 2 of the Poultry Masterplan. Godlimpi hosted the Executive Oversight Committee meeting of the masterplan together with the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Ms Nokuzola Capa in Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng.
Representatives of the South African Poultry Association, Association of Meat Importers and Exporters, Emerging Black Importers and Exporters South Africa, Food and Allied workers Union, Astral Foods, Rainbow Chicken, Country Bird Holdings, Daybreak Foods and the African Farmers Association of South Africa signed the agreement in which they expressed their commitment to working together towards achieving the objectives of the second phase of the plan.
In his opening remarks Godlimpi said the objective of the work that government was engaged in together with all the relevant stakeholders was to ensure that the industry produced more chicken in order to meet the demand in the country, and to reduce imports.
“The long and short of it is that we do not want to import chicken from other countries anymore. We want local companies to grow more chickens. Part of what we are doing is to ensure that the chicken is produced by as diverse a group of South Africans as possible. We want big commercial South African farmers to produce and supply South Africa with chicken alongside small and rural farmers,” said Godlimpi.
He added that the partnership between the industry and government has made good strides in improving the production of chicken in South Africa, across the entire value chain of chicken production, from the feed to the processing of chicken.
“We need to work together between government and you as the producers on the ground. The achievements of the first phase of the Poultry Masterplan bear testimony to what we can do when we work together. That our country’s slaughter rate has increased to 23 million birds per week, imports decreased to 22%, as well as the 9% export performance growth, are shining examples. It means that if we maintain these levels of local production and export performance we are close to shutting down the possibilities of foreign chickens coming to South Africa. It will not be easy, but with the kind of resilience that you have shown, there are possibilities that we can get it right,” emphasised Godlimpi.
He commended the stakeholders for signing the Phase 2 Master Plan Agreement, adding that it would continue to build on the achievements of the first phase. He emphasised that Phase 2 aimed to achieve poultry industry growth driven by exports of cooked meat and enhanced local demand, improved biosecurity to boost local production sustainability, facilitate export market access, as well as effective trade measures to support localisation, and transformation.
Another highlight of the event was the awarding of certificates of excellence to black-owned poultry businesses which included contract growers, feed mills, hatcheries, abattoirs, and processors. The accomplishments of the commercial producers are seen as a reflection of ongoing progress in transforming South Africa’s poultry industry through the implementation of the first phase of the Poultry Masterplan.
“The achievements of these black farmers also confirms the amount of ground that we can cover when big commercial farmers are working together with small farmers, with the support of government and its agencies. This is one model that requires to be replicated in all of the 52 district municipalities throughout the country,” concluded Godlimpi
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