The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has issued a warning, stating that prices of eggs might rise from the current N5,500 to N10,000 per crate if immediate action is not taken to assist poultry farmers.
The increased expense of protein was ascribed to the elimination of fuel subsidies, which led to higher transportation costs, and the millers’ indiscriminate hike in feed prices. This was said by PAN’s FCT Chapter Secretary, Musa Hakeem, during a news conference held in Abuja on Saturday to celebrate World Egg Day.
Given the reduction in protein consumption, Hakeem said the Federal Government should immediately declare a state of emergency over egg production in the nation, arguing that Nigerians cannot afford to rely solely on egg imports.
He pointed out, “If we should go by the proportional increase in the prices of these factors mentioned earlier, we will be buying eggs at N10,000 per create, but because we wanted to be compassionate, coupled with the importance of eggs for health, we left the price at the current price of N5,500.”
He declared, “As far as I’m aware, the last time the government intervened in the grain market was three years ago. Any further relief from the high cost of food can only be found in the newspaper.”
Given that PAN has the data of every chicken farmer in the Federal Capital Territory, he urged the government to make sure PAN is included in all intervention efforts.
He bemoaned the lack of attention the government has been providing to the poultry subsector, pointing out that entrepreneurs have been functioning on their initiative and praying the industry does not collapse.
Jude Arikogu, the CEO of Pest Agro Dealers, bemoaned the arbitrary rise in feed prices set by millers as well as the inadequate weight of the feeds, stating, “A 25kg bag of feed is hardly up to 23kg when put on our scale.”
Arikogu also bemoaned the fact that banks are unwilling to lend money to poultry farmers, therefore they are unable to obtain funding from them. Since their sole goal is to make sure Nigerians have eggs on their tables, the business environment, according to Ibrahim Lamidi, the association’s ex officio officer at the national level, is not favorable to them.
He urged Nigerians to always eat eggs instead of meat since they are less expensive and higher in protein.
