Bright future ahead for South African ostrich industry
Pieter Strijdom, chairperson of the meat committee of the National Ostrich Processors of South Africa, has predicted a bright future for the country’s ostrich meat export industry – starting next year.
According to Strijdom, current export prices are about 15% down year-on-year, while export volumes are 20% lower compared with the previous year. Despite this, the prices paid to farmers for each carcass are 30% higher due to the rand's exchange rate, compared with other currencies such as the euro.
South Africa is the world's biggest supplier of ostrich meat and leather, slaughtering about 350,000 birds a year (over 50% of the global product). Ostrich is expected to yield approximately 4,900 metric tons in exports this year.
Strijdom predicted that the prices of both leather and meat exports will increase in 2003 because of South Africa's dominant and influential position in the market. He estimated total slaughter at about 240,000 birds in 2003.
Leather exports account for 65% of the industry's total income and revenue from meat exports makes up the remainder 35%. Last year, the ostrich meat export industry experienced a massive increase in demand, with prices rising by about 20% in the wake of the European foot and mouth and BSE crises.
