Bird flu outbreak | Producers consider egg imports to address shortage

JOHANNESBURG -  It's estimated it will take between 6 to 12 months to crack the egg and chicken shortage.

The SA Poultry industry is scrambling to deal with an outbreak of a highly pathogenic bird flu outbreak.

Food importer Roy Thomas says imports are the best short-term answer.

"The most immediate solution to the problem that is impending is imports. The transit time for Brazil is four weeks. So you could realistically have a product on the shelf within six to eight weeks," he said.

Thomas says this will have a far-reaching consequence for South African consumer. 

"So, the only way in order to ensure a supply chain that is at a competitive price for the local consumer is to open import, so that we can provide the stock that the Avian flu would have taken out of the local market," says Thomas.