The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) is calling on the Federal Government for support through grain interventions in 2024. Mr. Mojeed Iyiola, the Chairman of PAN’s Lagos chapter, stressed the need for sustained government interventions to ensure the prosperity of the poultry sector.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, Iyiola highlighted the challenges faced by poultry farmers in procuring essential inputs like maize and soya beans in previous years.
“We have problems in input procurement, especially maize and soya. We appreciate the Lagos State Government for their interventions last year concerning maize for feed milling. We also appeal to the Federal Government to fulfill its promise to provide substantial maize for poultry farmers. We hope to start seeing the maize intervention from the Federal Government rolling in. We believe 2024 will be a profitable year for poultry farmers with these interventions,” Iyiola stated.
Halt Exports and Smuggling of Local Grains
Mr. Godwin Egbebe, the National Publicity Secretary of PAN, emphasized the need for the government to prevent the smuggling of local grains to neighboring countries, citing the high cost of grains as a primary challenge facing the poultry industry. He urged the government to stop exports and smuggling of grains to neighboring countries such as Togo, Ghana, and Benin Republic.
“We want the government to put an end to the exportation/smuggling of our grains to neighboring countries like Togo, Ghana, and the Benin Republic. We hope all these will be corrected this year. We need to be self-sufficient locally before we start the exportation of our grains. We need bailouts for the sector this year, and these bailouts must be strategic,” Egbebe stated.
Industry Challenges and Economic Impact
The poultry industry has faced several challenges, with rising feed costs being a significant concern. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has led to a reduction in global supply, causing inflation in poultry products and stifling public demand. According to the NBS Food Price Watch for November, the cost of beef increased by 29.61% between November 2023 and 2022. Additionally, the price of medium-sized agric eggs rose by 50.01% year-on-year during the same period. The price of maize, a critical component in poultry feed production, increased by 76.01% from November 2022 to 2023, according to the NBS.
A recent report by ENTREPRENEURNG on staple crops in West Africa also projects an increase in prices above their 5-year average in 2024, emphasizing the challenges the agricultural sector faces.
