October 1, 2010

An association of egg sellers has been established in Kumasi to serve as an interface between producers and consumers in the promotion of Ghana's poultry industry.

This forms part of the Stop Avian Influenza (Stop AI) project by the US aid agency USAID, to strengthen producers and marketing associations for the growth of the poultry sector.

According to National Consultant Dr. Anthony Akunzule, the growth of the poultry industry will be stagnant without a vibrant egg sellers association, which is at the end of the poultry value chain.

Interest groups like tea sellers, boiled egg sellers, hotels and restaurants ensure that eggs produced on poultry farms are sold out at the doorsteps of consumers. However, poor transport and storage systems are major challenges facing the egg sellers – unfavourable weather conditions result in egg glut and reduces the shelf-life of table eggs for the final consumer.

Dr. Akunzule says Stop AI is supporting groups in the value chain, mostly producers, marketers and transporters to have a voice in policy formulation and implementation. He believes the egg sellers association could be a good channel to promote the poultry industry.

The project also involves upgrading facilities in transporting and storing for the egg sellers.Regular meetings will be held to discuss on these improvements.

Meanwhile, Secretary of the Egg Sellers Association, Hajia Amina Haruna, wants poultry farmers to partner the group in fixing prices of eggs since the sellers bear most of the suffering especially during the off-seasons when market is very bad.