POULTRY MARKET INQUIRY: TERMS OF REFERENCE FINALISED

POULTRY MARKET INQUIRY: TERMS OF REFERENCE FINALISED

• 30 September 2025
• Trade, Industry & Competition
• SA Legal Academy

The Competition Commission has gazetted the final terms of reference for an inquiry into the poultry market initiated in February 2024, when draft terms of reference were released for public comment – as SA Legal Academy reported at the time. According to the final terms of reference:

• ‘the South African poultry value chain is highly concentrated and characterised by vertical integration’, with ‘the largest broiler and egg producers operat(ing) across the entire value chain, from key inputs to retail branding’, and
• ‘these integrated firms supply inputs both internally and to contract growers, as well as to independent and emerging farmers and producers, creating dependence on larger competitors’.

The inquiry’s overarching objective is to assess:

• the extent of market distortions possibly undermining competition and affecting pricing
• access to key inputs, including:
  • genetic and parent stock
  • feed
  • fertile eggs
  • day-old chicks for rearing broilers and egg laying hens
  • abattoirs, and
  • cold-chain logistics, along with
• barriers to market entrance (especially for small and medium enterprises, emerging farmers and market participants from historically disadvantaged communities).

Intended to augment interventions already made under the 2019 poultry sector master plan, the inquiry’s commencement is expected to be announced within 20 business days – and  the final report completed within the following 18 months.

• terms of reference
• poultry sector master plan
• SA Legal Academy report on draft terms of reference

Published by SA Legal Academy Policy Watch

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