During the recent National Ostrich Industry Conference, the Western Cape minister for Agriculture, Tourism and Gambling, Johan Gelderblom, stated that South Africa's ostrich industry is without doubt a world leader in its field. He said in the past decade, the industry had shown significant growth and development, to the extent that it now accounts for 71% of the world's commercial ostriches. It also exports 67% of the world supply of ostrich meat, generating about R2.1 billion ($228 million) annually while providing employment for about 20,000 people.

The minister went on to describe how countries such as China, Australia and Cyprus send their ostrich skins to South Africa for processing. He added that although the industry comprises only 750 registered export farms, of which 440 are situated in the Western Cape, it is placed 25th in the country's overall agricultural industry.