Poultry farmers solicit government intervention in Plateau

The Chairman, Poultry Farmers Association in Plateau, Mr Johnson Bagudu, has solicited government assistance to the members to boost the sector’s production.

Bagudu made the plea in an interview on Sunday in Jos.

He expressed concerns that about 50 per cent of the farmers were already out of business.

He also said that he was optimistic that the intervention would help keep farmers’ businesses virile.

According to him, some of the major challenges are the high cost of feeds, day-old chicks, drugs, cost of labour, ready market as well as cost of power.

“The truth is that it has not been easy, I spend N2,000 everyday on feeding on my small farm and I don’t make up to N2,000 every day,” the chairman said.

He, however, said that poultry farming was highly lucrative if given the necessary support.

He said that more than 50,000 youths who were employed on various farms in the state were now out of jobs because of the current challenges.

Bagudu also said that there was a paradigm shift in poultry farming as most youths had become interested in it before the advent of the challenges.

He implored the government to come to their aid, noting that the farmers in the state would return stronger with government’s timely intervention.