May 14, 2004

 

 

Nigeria Saves $200 Million From Poultry Import Ban

 

The Nigeria Poultry Association has said that the government ban on importation of poultry products had saved not less than $200 million in the last one year.

 

The association made this disclosure even as President Olusegun Obasanjo inaugurated a presidential committee on export of poultry products at the State House, Abuja.

 

Obasanjo's inauguration of the committee followed in the heels of a disclosure by the association that the poultry industry in the country has reached 80% of local requirement, and from November this year, it expects to begin exportation.

 

Chairman of the association Chief Tunde Badmus said at the inauguration of the presidential committee yesterday that 50 percent of poultry imported can be produced locally adding that constraints in the industry include high interest rates and stability in government policies.

 

President Obasanjo stressed the need for government policies to be forward looking, adding that the export committee is expected to take care of expected excess in poultry products.

 

"I thought we should not wait until we get to the level of glut hence the establishment of the committee that would consciously promote the export of poultry, President Obasanjo stated.

 

"We urged the committee to look inwards and ensure continuous production of poultry products since we cannot go into the export market without continuous production."

 

He called on National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC to ensure high quality of poultry products while urging poultry farmers to watch out against poultry-related diseases.

 

He asked for implored management in the industry so as to make laid-down objectives realizable, adding that the amount saved from the ban on poultry products was part of governments' intention in introducing its reform programmes.

 

He told the poultry farmers "this should be sustained because you are going to need some people that are already in the market and then you have to fight and develop the market.