Africa’s dual-purpose poultry industry sold an estimated 225 million day-old chicks in 2025, with East Africa accounting for almost two-thirds of total sales, according to the first continent-wide survey of the sector published by the World Poultry Foundation.

The 2025 Dual-Purpose Poultry (DPP) Landscape Survey collected information from 33 countries and 72 companies, capturing approximately 94% of the estimated market volume. The findings provide the first comprehensive picture of an industry that has expanded significantly but continues to face operational, financial and supply chain challenges.

The survey highlights substantial differences in regional production, with Southern Africa accounting for a relatively small share of chick sales despite having a comparable number of businesses to other regions.

East Africa dominates continental chick sales

East Africa accounted for approximately 140 million day-old chicks sold in 2025, representing close to two-thirds of the continental market.

By comparison, Southern Africa generated just 2.3% of total chick volumes, despite hosting a similar number of dual-purpose poultry businesses.

According to the report, this disparity reflects differences in production capacity and the maturity of businesses rather than an absence of market demand.

Southern Africa has a diverse network of relatively small producers, many of which have yet to achieve economies of scale. The report also highlights customer waiting periods of several months for available stock, suggesting that supply constraints are limiting the region’s ability to meet existing demand.

The findings point to opportunities for investment in hatchery capacity, breeding operations and distribution networks across underserved markets.

Growing demand meets operational constraints

Demand for dual-purpose poultry continues to expand across the continent, with two-thirds of surveyed companies reporting increased sales in 2025.

Furthermore, 94% of businesses that were selling chicks at the beginning of the year remained active sellers by the end of the reporting period.

Companies with at least five years of market experience were particularly positive, with nearly all reporting stable or increasing demand.

However, businesses identified several constraints affecting their ability to expand production, including unreliable electricity, limited access to financing and inconsistent vaccine supplies.

Hatchery capacity is another major concern, particularly in East Africa, where facilities were operating at approximately 96% capacity, compared with 78% in West Africa.

This leaves East African producers with limited room to increase output without additional investment in infrastructure and production facilities.

Unreliable electricity is particularly disruptive during incubation, when power interruptions can affect hatchery operations. In Southern Africa, electricity instability was identified as the primary reason some businesses exited the market.

Vaccine availability also remains a challenge, with producers reporting dependence on individual suppliers, prolonged stock-outs and concerns about vaccine potency following transportation.

Farmer perceptions present an opportunity for growth

The survey identified misconceptions about dual-purpose poultry as another significant barrier to market expansion.

Some farmers compare dual-purpose birds directly with commercial broilers, expecting similar growth rates and feed conversion performance.

However, the report explains that dual-purpose breeds were developed to outperform traditional village chickens under low-input farming conditions rather than compete directly with specialised commercial broilers.

Against indigenous village chickens, the performance differences are considerable.

Dual-purpose birds can produce approximately 130 to 175 eggs annually, compared with 30 to 60 eggs from traditional village chickens.

They can also reach market weight within 84 to 91 days, compared with approximately 255 days for village chickens. Flock mortality is reported at below 15%, against more than 40% for traditional village birds.

Improving farmer awareness of these production characteristics could therefore help expand adoption without requiring major changes to existing poultry products.

Financing and breeding stock access shape market development

The survey also highlights differences in production costs and access to breeding resources across the industry.

Large-scale producers sell day-old chicks at an average of US$0.77, compared with approximately US$1.02 among micro-scale businesses.

Access to breeding stock remains concentrated among a relatively small number of larger companies, while approximately 85% of parent stock is still imported.

Financing is another constraint, particularly for smaller producers exposed to high interest rates and currency volatility.

The report found that 35% of surveyed companies had received donor support at some point in their development. These businesses accounted for 88% of reported chick sales, illustrating the significant role external financing has played in building the industry.

Technical support also varies across regions. Approximately 83% of East African companies provide technical assistance to farmers, compared with 54% of businesses in Southern Africa.

Industry survey establishes a baseline for future investment

The World Poultry Foundation’s survey provides an important baseline for tracking the development of Africa’s dual-purpose poultry industry.

Repeating the exercise annually could help identify changes in production capacity, regional demand, investment requirements and the operational barriers affecting businesses.

The findings also highlight opportunities to expand hatchery infrastructure, improve access to affordable financing, strengthen vaccine supply chains and develop local breeding capacity.

For African poultry producers, the sector offers an opportunity to improve household access to eggs and meat while supporting smallholder incomes and rural enterprise development.

However, unlocking its potential will require investment that addresses both the industry’s production constraints and the knowledge gaps affecting farmer adoption.