With annual turnover of R74 billion in 2026, poultry’s success is benefiting the entire agricultural economy.
By Aziz Sulliman, Chairman of the South African Poultry Association
There are moments in the life of an industry that define its future. Looking back, the signing of the poultry masterplan in 2019 was undoubtedly one of those moments.
For almost a decade before then, South Africa’s poultry industry was moving in the wrong direction. Production declined year after year while imported poultry continued to gain market share, eroding local investment, reducing employment opportunities and weakening one of agriculture’s most important value chains.
The challenge was never confined to poultry. As production fell, demand for locally produced maize and soya declined, affecting grain producers, feed manufacturers and countless businesses that depend on a vibrant poultry sector.
The first masterplan changed that trajectory. By bringing government and industry together behind a common vision, it created the framework for rebuilding competitiveness while advancing transformation, improving food safety and ensuring consumers continued to enjoy access to affordable chicken.
Five years later, the results speak for themselves.
More than R2.1 billion has been invested in infrastructure, production has expanded significantly, new black-owned enterprises have entered the value chain and thousands of jobs have been created. Even the devastating outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in 2023 could not derail the industry’s recovery. Through resilience, improved biosecurity and sustained investment, the sector regained its momentum.
Today, the poultry industry has once again secured its position as South Africa’s largest agricultural sector. With annual turnover growing from R47 billion in 2019 to R74 billion in 2026, our success is benefiting the entire agricultural economy. As the country’s largest consumer of maize and soya, every increase in poultry production strengthens the grain industry, supports rural economies and reinforces national food security.
The signing of the second poultry masterplan marks the beginning of an equally ambitious chapter. Our focus now shifts towards expanding domestic consumption, opening new export markets, strengthening disease prevention and maintaining a fair trading environment that allows local producers to compete on equal terms.
The progress achieved over the past six years demonstrates what is possible when industry and government work together with purpose. If we maintain that partnership and continue investing with confidence, the poultry industry will remain not only agriculture’s largest sector, but one of South Africa’s most important drivers of economic growth and opportunity.
This article first appeared in Poultry Bulletin (Issue 33) August/September 2026 and is republished with permission. Click the cover below for the full edition.
Also read:
Big dreams in rural KZN – poultry and vegetable farmer Bukhosi Dlamini
200 to 6 000 chicks: Kariega poultry co-ops scale up with R642 000 fund
She supplies 3 000 chickens a week – how Itumeleng Mahwete built Nakedi Poultry Farm from scratch
