PROCESSING ▶▶▶


Riding the waves of Covid-19


We all expected 2020 to run smoothly with an annual 2% growth rate in the poultry industry. The reality, however, turned out to be rather different. Although poultry processors still sail the same waters as before, the waves have become increasingly choppy.


BY WILLEM HEEMSKERK, POULTRY PROCESSING RESEARCHER MEYN A


ccording to Paul Aho, president of the consultancy Poultry Perspective, the rapid pace being forced by Covid-19 means that changes that under normal circumstances might have taken a decade to occur,


will now take just a couple of years. Philip Wilkinson, execu- tive director of the 2 Sisters Food Group, says that the global poultry trade won’t just suddenly snap back to normal again when the disease is under control. A return to some degree of


normality is not likely to be seen until 2022-2023 and even then, the pandemic waves and outbreaks will continue to drive the significant changes we are already seeing in: • Broiler supply – weight range and prices • Market demand – order quantity, delivery times and desired product mix


• Labour – availability, working conditions and cost •


Logistics – growing concern about traceability and reduced transport options.


The last report issued by the Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) and the United States Department of Agricul- ture (USDA) confirmed these rapid changes. In most countries poultry processors have had to switch from delivering high-value product sales to hotels, restaurants and institu- tional cafeterias (HRI), to increased delivery to the retail sec- tor. In Canada, the US and Europe, the Covid-19 pandemic led to ‘panic buying’ of groceries to stockpile food against possible future food shortages, as well as the closure of many


In production there is a grow- ing trend to- wards automa- tion and digitization.


18 ▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 10, 2020


PHOTO: MEYN


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