The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) Oyo State chapter has called on both the federal and state governments to save the poultry sub-sector from collapse, citing the scarcity of maize in the country for feed production.
State PAN Chairman, Gbemisoye Agboola made this appeal at a news conference organized by the association at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Press Centre in Ibadan.
At the news conference, Agboola petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend the ban on maize importation till next planting season.
Poultry Farmers Lose Over N200bn to COVID-19 in Oyo State
“In the light of the foregoing, Poultry Association of Nigeria, Oyo State branch is using this opportunity to call on Mr. President to relax the ban on importation of maize for a period.
“To use this time to release the grain reserved across the country and to release all available palliatives to cushion the effect of scarcity of maize to teeming grassroots farmers, who are suffering,” he said.
“Thank you, Mr. President and our governor because we know you will listen to our plights and save poultry industry from unconscionable efforts to kill the poultry industry.”
Oyo SWOFON Laments Challenges to Food Security
Chairman, Asimiyu Oyetunde of the Day Old Chicks Merchants Association of Nigeria, opined that the increase in day -old chick prices was due to the current economic situation.
“We get broilers ranging from N200 to N300 maximum and as I am talking today, as at yesterday, prices of a day-old broiler range from N400 to N450.
“Since I have been in the industry, I have never bought layers at the rate of N300 in my life. In the last six months now, for you to get a layer, you must have a minimum of N300,” Oyetunde said.
