January 24, 2024

Poultry Association of Nigeria urges swift action on soaring feed prices

The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has issued a plea for urgent intervention from Nigerian President Bola Tinubu's administration to address the staggering increase in poultry feed prices, Leadership reported.

PAN warns that a failure to take immediate action could result in the complete collapse of the poultry sub-sector of the economy.

Hakeem Musa, secretary of PAN's Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter, expressed these concerns and emphasised the need for government grants to assist farmers in coping with the escalating feed costs.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, Musa, who is also the CEO of Mushak Agro Consult, highlighted the continuous surge in feed prices. Using layers mash as an example, he detailed the progression from NGN 8,000 (US$8.88) for a 25kg bag in November to the current price of NGN 10,950 (US$12.15). Musa expressed uncertainty about when this upward trend would cease and raised concerns about the implications for the coming months.

Musa advocated for government grants, rather than loans, as the primary intervention needed to sustain the industry. According to Musa, farmers have incurred significant losses and would struggle to repay loans.

The surge in feed costs is attributed to the scarcity of maize and soybeans, key components in feed production, and the ban on maize importation. Musa highlighted the adverse effects on farmers, with numerous farms closing and others substantially reducing their bird capacity.

-       Leadership