Poultry farmers decry choking cost of maize, soyabean, wheat, seek import approval, palliative

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

Going by the current negative impact on poultry business in Nigeria occasioned by high cost of feed production raw materials as maize, soybean, wheat and other micro-ingredients, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Lagos wing has sent a ‘save our soul’ message to government at all levels.

The poultry farmers to this end are calling on government to urgently intervene to prevent the imminent collapse of the sub-sector.

L-R: Wale Ojo, PRO PAN, Lagos State Chapter, Iyiola Mojeed, Chairman, Lagos State Chapter, Foluso Adams, Secretary General and Oyetunde Oluwatosin, Executive member, PAN, at a media briefing in Lagos on Wednesday September 28,2023.

Chairman of PAN, Lagos Chapter, Iyiola Mojeed speaking to Agriculture Journalists in Lagos recently frowned at the declining egg need per child in schools today leading to protein deficiency and malnutrition and others.

Sought for import waiver incentives and exemption to her members to import maize and soya, alleged that importers of the grains today are selling at over 200% higher than the landing cost.

Given the insecurity in the northern part of the country that has forced farmers away from their farms, Mojeed cautioned that if nothing is done by the government urgently, the industry will face a total collapse.

“The issue of banditry has driven most of the northern farmers away from their farms, many of them have relocated to other regions and engage in other economic activities like many seen in Lagos riding “Okada”, this is seriously affecting the industry,” he decried.

Most of their members he further said have continued to operate on losses and are on the verge of imminent extinction as the challenge has come at a perennial scope.

“The issue of egg glut was initially a seasonal issue, but today it’s a perennial problem and when it comes, usually before, within two to three months we get over it but this time around it has come to stay permanently and this is what we don’t want.

“So we’re crying to governments in various capacities, starting with the local to states and the federal governments, to protect this industry from total collapse because if the problems we’re facing now are not addressed immediately, it could lead to the total collapse of the industry.

“We cannot overemphasize the importance of our industry because our presence affects virtually every human life, starting from the fetus, male and female old and young.

“If the industry is allowed to collapse it would have a profound negative impact on human lives in Nigeria.

“In developed countries the wellbeing of poultry farmers are not taken for granted, their government’s do all they could to assist the industry but in Nigeria, reverse is the case,” he said.

He stated that as government at all levels are giving palliative to support Nigerians to cushion the effect of the current economic reality, there is need to look at the direction of the farmers to support them.

“I also want to call upon the government to please remember poultry farmers when they give out palliatives. Let them also remember to support poultry farmers, they need support, they need help at this time, otherwise, it will be a regrettable stand tomorrow.

He commended the Lagos State Government for all the assistance they’ve rendered to the state chapter of PAN.

“We are grateful to the Lagos state government. They have actually assisted us in the area of egg laws. They have given us egg powder factory. We have to turn our eggs into powder for making children’s baby foods.

“We are grateful to them. Not only that, they have assisted our broiler farmers in the procurement of blast freezers and Processing machines.”

He called on government to stop smuggling of frozen chicken into the country going by it’s economic disadvantage to the nation and attendant health implication, assured that with government support, the union is capable of providing all protein(chicken) needs of the country.

He said, “We cannot compare our local production of poultry with this imported frozen turkeys that have been preserved with formalin. And we know what formalin is. Intake of formalin is dangerous to human health. So we want the government to assist us in total banning of importation of frozen food.

“We are up to the task of meeting the demand If the environment is being made conducive for us.

“So we want the government to stop the importation of frozen food. And at the same time, show our great appreciation to the government in terms of their support.”