South Africa’s poultry industry faces uncertainty over bird flu vaccination delays

SOUTH AFRICA – South Africa’s poultry industry is raising concerns over the lack of approval for avian influenza (AI) vaccinations, warning that without urgent intervention, the sector could suffer severe losses.

Despite the government publishing a vaccination strategy in late 2023 and registering vaccines, no commercial farm has been permitted to administer them.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is typically introduced into South Africa by migratory birds from Europe during the southern hemisphere’s winter, which is now approaching.

The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) has highlighted the urgency of the situation, stating that although three H5 vaccines are registered, farmers face excessive hurdles in securing approval to use them.

The Department of Agriculture has established strict biosecurity protocols for vaccination, which SAPA argues are both costly and impractical, preventing farms from meeting the requirements.

As a result, no commercial poultry farms have managed to comply with the set conditions, and the department has halted the review of new vaccination applications until further guidance is received.

Approval for an H7 vaccine remains a distant prospect, with additional testing required before it can be authorized, a process expected to take at least another year.

Farmers in South Africa do not receive compensation when their flocks are culled due to disease outbreaks, making the lack of vaccination approval even more concerning for the industry.

The poultry sector has already endured massive losses, with major outbreaks recorded in 2017 and 2023, and SAPA now warns that the country could lose up to half of its poultry population.

In the 2023 outbreak, over 9.6 million birds were culled, wiping out a third of long-living birds in Gauteng, a key poultry-producing region.

The financial toll of last year’s outbreak exceeded US$ 518 million (R9.5 billion), while poultry and egg prices surged by nearly 30%.

If another outbreak occurs at the same or greater scale, SAPA warns of severe consequences for farmers, food security, and nutrition levels, particularly among low-income households.

Beyond economic concerns, the potential loss of millions of birds also raises environmental issues, with mass culling and disposal posing additional challenges.

With no approvals granted and winter drawing near, SAPA stresses that immediate action is required to prevent another crisis.