The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has disclosed that more than 30% of poultry farms in the country have closed in the last six months due to industry difficulties.
This was revealed by PAN’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Godwin Egbebe, in a Tuesday interview in Lagos with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He blamed the shutdowns on the excessive operating expenses, which have significantly increased the price of eggs across the country.
“The challenges faced by the poultry industry in the first half of the year have resulted in the closure of farms for about 30% of local farmers nationwide.”
“The seriousness of the predicament poultry farmers are in needs to be known by the government. The distribution of palliatives does not alleviate the sector’s ills; instead, we seek long-term solutions to the challenges on the ground.”
“Palliatives frequently end up in the wrong coffers and not with actual farmers. Due to their inability to cover the costs of running their farms, the majority of farmers are quitting the industry. Some have sold their cages, while others have sold their farms,” he explained.
Closure due to rising feed costs
Furthermore, Egbebe noted that a major issue confronting the industry is the growing cost of feed. According to him, chicken farms are under tremendous pressure to maintain operations due to the rising cost of feed.
“The price of feed goes up every other week, which drives up the price of poultry produce. We paid N14,300 for 25 kg of feed two weeks ago, but as of this past weekend, the price has increased to N14,800.”
“We purchased a bag for N12,000 earlier this year, which sold for N9,000 last year. The industry is being impacted by the increase. Transportation is another key issue in the sector; transporting poultry produce raises the cost,” he stated.
Things to note
The News Chronicles previously reported that egg prices have risen by approximately 25% in recent months.
The surge is attributed by farmers and traders to scarcity as a result of large closures of poultry farms throughout the nation, as well as to a recent spike in the price of maize and soya, two elements used in the making of poultry feed.
It’s important to remember that the increase in egg pricing affects a variety of food items rather than just one.
For example, between April and May 2024, the price of beans grew by a staggering 70% on a monthly basis, and the cost of staple foods nationwide increased by 100%.
