The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Lagos chapter, has expressed optimism over the growth of the sector in 2023 in spite of the challenges faced in the previous years.
PAN Chairman, Mr Mojeed Iyiola, said this on Thursday in Lagos.
Iyiola said that in spite of the rising cost of raw materials for the feed production, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the sector.
“By God’s grace in 2023, we hope for a forward movement for the poultry sector in spite of the high cost of production.
“We want to encourage our farmers to endure despite the fact that we have gotten to the peak of high cost of raw materials.
“It is only farmers that can endure this period that would break through in the long run.
“We encourage our farmers to remain in business and stop closing up despite the challenges,” he said.
Iyiola said that with the continuous peak in poultry raw materials, there has been a proliferation of substandard materials which are harmful to both human and animal health.
He also called for the government’s continuous intervention to cushion the effects of the rising cost of production in the sector.
“All we need is government’s continuous assistance and intervention in the area of animal feed as the price keeps skyrocketing daily.
“When animal feed prices continue to increase, there will be an increase of adulterated poultry inputs in the market.
“These substandard products are very injurious to the human health and the animal. This also results in low production and consequent mortality of the birds.
“When these happens it results in the closure of most poultry farms. Presently we have scanty numbers of poultry farmers still in business.
“The cost of inputs keeps getting on the increase. From the cost of day-old chicks which used to cost between N120 to N200, now ranges between N600 to N1,000 per day old chick.
“In animal feed, a bag of 25kg of chick-mash was sold between N4,000 and N6,000 but now costs N10,000 and above now,” Iyiola said.