"Eleven percent of farms in South Africa are affected and investigations are continuing. South Africa has culled about 7.5 million chickens in an effort to contain dozens of outbreaks of two separate strains of avian flu that threaten to create a shortage of eggs and poultry for consumers," Mbassa stated.
AFASA's chief said that cases had been reported in several provinces, including Mpumalanga in eastern South Africa and Limpopo in the north of the country. She added that at least 205,000 chickens had died from bird flu in at least 60 separate outbreaks across the country. The province of Gauteng, which includes the country's biggest cities, saw more than half of those outbreaks.
"Value chains in the poultry industry have also been affected by shortage of supply across the vale chains and increase in prices," Mbassa said.
South Africa is already experiencing meat shortage. The private sector is taking steps to avoid chicken shortages, while the country's government is discussing incentives.