Shares in production companies have lifted as a result of the duties, which South African Poultry CEO Kevin Lovell said were about ‘levelling the playing fields’.

Falling maize is also benefiting the sector which has reported shares in Country Bird, Astral and Sovereign all over 40 per cent higher, reports Business Day Live.

Duties ranging from 22 to 73 per cent were introduced on imports of German, Dutch and UK frozen bone-in chicken.

Brazil was hit by a rise in duties last year.

Mr Lovell said: "We have long maintained that dumping causes material harm to our industry and makes it impossible for our industry to compete on this basis.

“The antidumping action therefore has always been about levelling the playing fields — not stifling competition."