Astral Foods said bird flu remains a risk to the local industry, particularly following higher infection rates in the Northern Hemisphere during their past winter season. Astral has made good progress with its vaccination strategy and abut 30% of its breeding stock will have protection against the disease this coming winter. Farming associations have welcomed news that South Africa issued its first permit to integrated poultry producer Astral for the vaccination of poultry against avian flu
Astral Foods said strong demand, softer feed prices and better cost management resulted in the JSE-listed integrated poultry producer lifting its interim dividend 427% to 1,160 cents.
The share price gave up some 4% to R227,05 on the JSE Monday afternoon, but the price for the group, which this year celebrated 25 years of being listed on the JSE, is still comfortably ahead of the R186,77 at which it traded a year ago.
However, Astral CEO Gary Arnold said there are a number of factors that will have a bearing on Astral’s near-term business prospects, as well as those of the poultry sector.
Bird flu remained a risk to the local industry, particularly following higher infection rates in the Northern Hemisphere during their past winter season.
