DA demands government’s urgent interventions to procure vaccines and financial assistance to save the poultry industry
9 October 2023
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng demands urgent interventions by the national government to procure vaccines for the poultry industry, which has been severely affected by the avian flu (bird flu) virus outbreak.
We also call on the Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi, and the Gauteng MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mbali Hlophe, to provide financial assistance to poultry farmers suffering from this virus affecting the industry as well as for the hundreds of workers facing retrenchment.
Gauteng is the epicentre of the poultry industry, and thousands of people are dependent on this industry for food and employment.
According to statistics from the Poultry Association, it is estimated that in Gauteng, over 11 million chickens have been affected by the avian flu outbreak, with over 3.8 million chickens that have been culled, with these numbers rising daily.