The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Oyo State Chapter, has decried the high cost of maize, a major component of poultry feed.
The group is therefore soliciting for government’s intervention in price regulation and sector growth.
PAN Chairman (SouthWest Zone), Rev. Gideon Oluleye, highlighted the challenges facing the subsector, in a news conference in Ibadan.
“We have called this meeting to intimate President Tinubu, the Central Bank of Nigeria and other relevant agencies on the need to save the poultry subsector of the economy from total collapse.
“The price of maize was initially between N225,000 and N230,000 here in the SouthWest, but as we speak now, the cost of maize is between N400,000 and N430,000 per tonne, which is not affordable to farmers.
“Currently, a lot of companies do not have maize to produce poultry feeds, this will gradually lead to the final collapse of the poultry sector.
“We are appealing to President Tinubu to come to the aid of poultry farmers,” Oluleye said.
In his remarks, PAN Branch Chairman, Mr Oyekunle Omidokun, urged government to also address policy summersaults and strengthen the energy sector to withstand the removal of subsidy.
“The above sorrowful developments invariably trigger declining demands for poultry products at ridiculously low prices, therefore resulting in deep losses and consequently massive loss of jobs by the subsector.
“We, hereby, call for urgent intervention of His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, to halt the drift to an imminent collapse of the subsector,” Omidokun said.
For his part, Secretary of the association, Mr Tunde Owolabi, gave some recommendations to help government grow the agricultural sector and implement better policies to boost the nation’s economy.
“That poultry agribusiness be supported through single digit agric loan from CBN.
“That state of emergency be declared on maize and soya production through implementation of farmland clearing, seed and fertiliser supply.
“That government enforce ban on poultry meat importation into the country,” Owolabi said.
