Cape Town – South African retailers are facing challenges in securing egg supplies due to the worst-ever bird flu outbreak in the country.
According to News24, leading poultry producers like Astral Foods have warned of potential shortages of eggs and meat in the coming months due to avian influenza strains H5 and H7.
Shoppers in Cape Town and Johannesburg have already reported seeing empty shelves, with some forced to buy non-preferred products.
The shortage of eggs in South Africa is real.
I went to 4 different supermarkets and none of them had eggs.
The employees mentioned that they get supplies in dribs and drabs. The delivered eggs then sell out quickly as the demand far exceeds the supply.
Prices have risen. pic.twitter.com/0tHielwUGf
— Madima (@MaanoMadima) September 25, 2023
Retailers like Shoprite and Woolworths have confirmed that avian flu is affecting chicken and egg supplies, with shortages particularly noticeable in the Gauteng region, the report said.
Woolworths said that the situation is prevalent throughout the market, and they have encountered substantial supply difficulties because of the avian flu. They also mentioned that customers might begin to observe empty store shelves, especially in the Gauteng region.
“Avian flu can spread in various ways. Veterinary experts have advised our farmers to keep our free-range hens indoors temporarily to protect their health and welfare, which they have done,” the report quoted Woolworths as saying.
Family-owned chain Food Lover’s Market anticipates at least four to six months of erratic egg supply due to the outbreak’s impact on suppliers, the report said.
Earlier this month, the South African Poultry Association (SAPA) said the nation was contending with two different strains of the virus, the infamous H5N1 and a new strain identified as H7N6.
Producer Quantum Foods said last week that this year it had lost almost two million chickens – worth a total of more than 100 million rand ($5.3 million) – because of the disease.
Bird flu does not typically infect humans. But H5N1 is increasingly infecting mammals worldwide, raising fears it could pass on more easily to people.
The virus has typically been confined to seasonal outbreaks, but since 2021 cases have emerged year-round, and across the globe, leading to what experts say is the largest outbreak ever seen.
SAPA said the number of avian flu cases in South Africa this year was higher than in any year since the first outbreaks were reported in commercial farms in 2017.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
