Article highlights:
- PAN says farms have collapsed, others are running at half capacity, while many others will soon close down.
- They urged FG to mop 15 to 20 million crates of eggs and chicken unsold in the economy right now to ameliorate the losses of the farmers.
- PAN also urges FG to constitute a committee that will begin the process of mopping up all unsold eggs and chicken.
Nigerian poultry farmers have called on the Federal Government to intervene in the sector to prevent Nigerian poultry farms from collapsing.
The farmers blamed the recent naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria for making things worse. According to them, they were still trying to recover from the devastating effects of Covid-19 when the naira scarcity happened. They, therefore, urged the government to mop up 20 million unsold crates of egg.
This was disclosed in a press conference by Rev. Oluleye Gideon, Chairman, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), South-West Zone, in Ibadan.
Poor Policy
The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), appealed to the Federal Government, and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to save the industry from total collapse, adding that the naira redesign and other government programmes had negatively affected the sector.
PAN added that due to the naira redesign which caused a naira scarcity, farmers lose several billions of naira
- “We, the farmers, are not against this policy, but its timing and implementation strategy had brought untold hardship on us.
- “A lot of farms have collapsed, others are running at half capacity, while many others will soon close down if the government does not urgently come to the aid of poultry farmers.”
Government Intervention
PAN urged FG’s developmental agencies to save the subsector of the economy from total collapse, as it contributes about 6% to GDP, urging that they mop up to 20 million crates of eggs and chicken unsold
- “They should help in mopping up about 15 to 20 million crates of eggs and chicken unsold in the economy right now to ameliorate the losses of the farmers.
- “These products should be used in feeding the people in IDPs and all our correctional centres all over the country.
- “Some could also be used in the government hospitals where meals are served as eggs helps for quick recovery and in building up the immunity of the sick patients.”
Subsidy for poultry farmers
They appealed to international grants and donor agencies like IFAD, NG-Cares, World Bank, and Private Financial Advisory Network (PFAN) to come to the aid of poultry farmers in Nigeria and particularly, the South-West zone.
- “We want CBN and the Federal Government to help in defraying part of the loan and in some cases outright cancellation of the loan.
- “This will enable the farmers to recover and save the sector from collapsing. Let the government constitute a committee that will begin the process of mopping up all unsold eggs and chicken.”
The backstory
The Nigerian Poultry industry lost more than 15 million crates of eggs valued at over N30 billion due to the adverse effects of the naira scarcity challenge in the country.
Mr Sunday Onallo-Akpa, the National President of the Poultry Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), in an interview in Abuja reported by Nairametrics last month
He stated that the industry lost 15 million crates of eggs due to the inability of traders to sell the produce amid cash scarcity.
This is crazy. They should bring down the price to sell. FG should buy the eggs and do what eat them? If demand for eggs fall, bring your prices down.