Poultry Farmers Decry High Cost Of Day Old Chicks

The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has raised alarm over exorbitant cost of birds in the market, as a broiler day old chick that used to be N100 now goes for as high as N400.

The President of the association, Mr Ezekiel Mam, who raised the alarm at a news conference on Friday to mark the 2019 World Egg Day, said the development was not encouraging for industry players.

Mam called on hatchery operators and commercial feed millers to be competitive in the pricing of their products for a win situation, adding that there should be stable price for sustainability of the business.

He said that instead of cashing in on the border closure to expand poultry business to meet market demand, some people were taking advantage of the development for quick gains.

He said that the situation was not healthy for the industry.

“The problem is that people take advantage of the recent development to maximise profit instead of expanding the business.

“Government has helped us to increase demand by closing the borders, so we must desist from taking advantage of the development and look at the long term benefit.

“It is an internal issue within the industry and the association will deal with it,” he said.

On the 2020 budgetary allocation of N83 billion to the agricultural sector for capital projects, the president said it was below expectation.

Mam said by the virtue of the importance of agriculture to all human endeavours, it should have been allotted the highest amount.

He said developed countries like the U.S. were food sufficient because they put more money into agriculture, adding that Nigeria must emulate them to enhance food sufficiency in the country.

“The budget is below expectation. Agric should be given more money because most subsectors like poultry are capital intensive.

“Whatever you do if you do not have food you are vulnerable. So, for us as an association, agric should have the highest budget.

“Soviet Union collapsed because of lack of food sufficiency. So, whatever we do without feeding our people, we will end up creating security and health concerns,” he said.

High point of the event was that each participant at the event ate at least one egg to commemorate the day.

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