November 15, 2010

Illegal poultry products threaten Nigerian poultry sector

Nigeria's poultry industry might go under as the industry is being threatened by smuggled chickens from neighbouring country.

Dr Femi Faniyi, President Poultry Association of Nigeria, Ogun State chapter, made this disclosure in a chat with journalists in Abeokuta on preparation for this year's annual poultry forum and exhibition billed for next week.

Dr Faniyi said that many of his constituents had gone into poultry production in recent years, so he was well aware of the problem. "It is of particular importance that they do not face unfair competition from other countries that do not comply with the regulations," he said.

Most of the poultry products that find their ways through the country's boarders pose health hazards to consumers, "the condition which these products are brought in calls for concern as most of them are hidden in petrol tankers. The business is done in open at Idi-Iroko and Seme boarders among others," Dr Faniyi added.

He said if the government wants to boost poultry industry that they should take special interest in the inputs like fertilisers for grains growers, he explained that with adulterated fertilisers, corn and soya which are basic ingredients of the feeds for poultry will not be available.

"Right now, the cost of a tonne of maize is about N50,000 (US$331.57) and Soya about N70,000 (US$464.19). Feed is 60% of the cost of our production. We need encouragement to keep us in business," stated Dr Faniyi.

He noted that poultry business is one business that can help in alleviating poverty in the country and it is one business that can be relied on for the economic values by big time farmers and small holder farmers in the country.

He said the interest rate being charged by banks for farmers are outrageous as farmers cannot be made to pay the same interest rate like traders, "even the commercial agriculture loan should be 5% as we cannot borrow at the current 9%," Dr Faniyi said.