Poultry Farmers Urge FG to Intervene over Rising Poultry Feeds
Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan
Stakeholders in the poultry sector under the aegis Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), have called on the federal government to find a lasting solution to the rising cost of poultry feed in the country.
The Chairman of the organizing committee of 13th Nigeria Poultry Show, held in Abeokuta, with the theme, “Adapting to economic realities : Innovative Approaches to poultry production amidst raw material deficit,” Dr. Olalekan Odunsi, in his opening remarks, said the challenge of the rising cost of poultry feed as well as other challenges facing the poultry industry are greatly affecting the sector.
“The poultry industry in Nigeria is a critical sector that contributes to the country’s food security, employment, and national economy. However, the industry faces challenges that have grossly derailed its growth and sustainability,” he stated.
The Chairman of the Board of Livestock Feeds Plc, Dr. Joe Dada, who gave the keynote address at the event, on his part, urged the Federal Government to support the agriculture sector to guarantee food security while appealing to the poultry farmers to embrace new technological innovations.
According to him, “These new technological innovations in agribusiness value chains have been instrumental in promoting innovative solutions that improve farmers’ profitability and sustainability with a focus on technology-driven optimization and capacity building.”
The Chairman of the South-West zone of the association, Rev. Gideon Oluleye, in his contributions, said the show is aimed to find lasting solutions to the myriad of challenges facing the poultry industry.
“Let the government increase funding into agriculture, particularly the poultry subsector. We are also enjoining the government to create a market for farmers through policies like the school feeding program.
“As we all know that this sector has faced many challenges in the inflationary situation of our economy, we want to urge you all to persevere and hold forth in your various businesses, for things will soon change for the better,” Oluleye said.
The association’s national president, Mr. Sunday Ezeobiora, who was represented by Onu Izuo Lisa, the Vice President of South East zone, Onu Izuo Lisa, decried the high cost of production, listing funding, infrastructure, and marketing as some of the challenges presently facing the poultry industry.
