The poultry farmers across the country have called on the government at all levels to urgently come to the rescue of the industry to prevent its imminent collapse due to the attendant negative impact of fuel subsidy removal and the devaluation of the naira.
The chairman of the Erikorodo, Lagos State chapter of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, Mrs. Juliana Ibitoye, made the appeal to the government to provide palliative support directly to farmers and farm hands within the Erikorodo poultry estate and all over the country.
Ibitoye lamented that most of their members have lost their finances within the past year and are on the verge of imminent total collapse, stating that the prices of poultry feeds have increased by over 100 percent as a result of the scarcity of maize for poultry feed production.
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“Most of the poultry farmers have devoted themselves to selling off their birds since they are unable to feed them. Some others are selling their farms as there seems to be no hope. Most members have lost their capital within the past year and are on the verge of bankruptcy.
According to the association, the closure of farms will throw many people out of employment, dim the hope of a better life for many families, and adversely affect the food security drive of the government since they provide both direct and indirect jobs to thousands of people.
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The association appealed to the government to provide grants and soft loans to address the plight of the poultry farmers in order to prevent the imminent collapse of the industry, while expressing support for the establishment of commodity boards to help regulate the price of poultry products.
