Poultry sector continues to grow

Written by Silusapho Nyanda

If you are interested in starting a poultry farm, you can approach the South African Poultry Association (SAPA) for assistance.

SAPA is a non-governmental organisation comprising poultry industry players.

The association helps farmers deal with poultry industry issues, such as skills and technology transfer. It also helps farmers to access its Transformation Grant Fund, and blended funding in partnership with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).

Izaak Breitenbach from SAPA’s Broiler Organisation says more black poultry farmers are entering the industry due to the association’s assistance.

“In the past two years alone, black farmers have built 79 poultry houses, valued at R355 million. The industry as a whole has also invested R1.14 billion to create markets for these additional chickens.”

Poultry Master Plan

SAPA’s work responds to government’s Poultry Master Plan, which aims to develop small-scale chicken farmers into commercial farmers.

Developed in 2020 by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and industry stakeholders, the master plan aims to improve access to markets and stop the import of cheap chickens from countries like Brazil and the United States of America.

In response to the master plan, SAPA has assisted farmers with technical information to grow their farms in line with industry standards, and has helped 40 independent broiler producers with business plans, environmental impact assessments and water licences.

 “Black farmers who have standing contracts with markets were farming 12.6 million chickens as of 25 November 2021,” Breitenbach says.

The association has also trained 1 900 emerging farmers in farming operations.

KC Hatchery

SAPA helped Clive Tigere from KC Hatchery in Louis Trichardt, Limpopo, to enter the commercial chicken farming space.

When he started his farm, business was slow, but after approaching SAPA in 2018, he was able to access more clients and his business grew, he says.

Tigere received R140 000 from the Transformation Grant Fund in 2018. In 2021, he received R12 million from the SAPA and IDC blended funding initiative.

He now sells broiler chicks, and owns three shops that sell 2 500 chicks per week.

“We also have contracts to supply between 1 000 and 10 000 day-old broiler chicks weekly,” says Tigere. 

Small-scale farmers needing assistance can contact SAPA at 011 795 9920 or visit www.sapoultry.co.za