Exploring Africa’s poultry powerhouses – a spotlight on South Africa
In this 9th article in this series, Sebastiane Ebatamehi from The African Exponent gives a comprehensive overview of the country in 2nd position in the top 10 poultry producing countries in Africa in 2025: South Africa.
South Africa’s poultry industry saw a rebound in 2025, building off gains achieved after the severe disruptions caused by outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in 2023.
According to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, chicken meat production for the marketing year 2025 is forecast to rise to approximately 1.65 million metric tonnes, up from an estimated 1.59 million tonnes in 2024, reflecting both recovery and growth in the domestic sector.
Poultry consumption climbing
Consumption within South Africa is also expected to climb, with chicken meat demand projected to reach 1.88 million tonnes in 2025, aided by softening poultry prices and reducing food inflation.
Per capita poultry consumption in South Africa remains the highest on the continent at around 37 kg per person per year – a level that places it well above the African average. This strong domestic demand underpins the scale and importance of the poultry sector in the national food economy.
The industry also plays a major role in employment and is one of the country’s largest agricultural employers, supporting around 58,000 jobs across the value chain.
Avian influenza, feed costs and electricity disruptions
Yet, significant challenges continue to test the resilience of South Africa’s poultry producers. Avian influenza remains a recurring threat. In 2025, new cases of the H5N1 strain were reported in provinces such as Mpumalanga and the North West, leading to culling of affected flocks.
Feed cost is another critical pressure point. Rising feed prices have been exacerbated by weak performance in local crop yields, volatility in international prices, and a weak exchange rate.
Energy supply and power disruptions (load-shedding) continue to add to operating costs, affecting slaughtering, processing, and cold-chain logistics.
Optimism for South Africa’s poultry sector
Despite these headwinds, expert analyses and industry stakeholders remain cautiously optimistic. The South African Poultry Association has confirmed that local slaughter capacity is about 21.5 million birds per week, with plans underway to increase this to 22.5 million birds, signaling confidence in scaling up supply to meet both domestic and regional demand.
The government’s avian influenza vaccine approval process for is progressing, and the first permit for a vaccine was issued to Astral Foods in mid-2025, indicating a regulatory shift toward more proactive disease management.
If South Africa can maintain momentum in biosecurity enforcement, stabilise energy supply, and control input (feed) costs, its poultry sector is well positioned to not only consolidate its status among Africa’s top producers, but also to reduce reliance on imports, improve food security, and serve as a model for resilient production in the region.
In the next article we zoom in on Egypt.
