CAPE TOWN: S. African poultry industry workers on Wednesday marched to the European Union’s headquarters in Pretoria, accusing the EU of dumping cheap chicken in the country. The EU says it is not the cause of the industry’s woes.
About 500 workers, former workers and company managers from the South African poultry sector took part in the protest, warning that the local poultry sector was on the brink of collapse due to the dumping of cheap chicken. The message on the banners was clear: “Organize or starve,” one read while another proclaimed “Dumping destroys SA jobs.”
The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) is calling for a stop to the imports which it says have led to at least 5,000 jobs being lost. The country’s largest poultry producer Rainbow Chicken Limited (RCL)last month laid off 1,350 employees, that’s about 20 percent of its workforce, and is selling 15 of its 25 farms.
