By Milcah Tanimu
The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has revealed that more than 30% of poultry farms across the country have ceased operations in the past six months, citing severe sectoral challenges.
In an interview in Lagos on Tuesday, PAN’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Godwin Egbebe, attributed this significant closure rate to the exorbitant cost of operations, which has consequently driven up the prices of eggs nationwide.
“The first half of this year has seen about 30% of local poultry farmers shutting down their operations due to the hardships faced in the sector,” Egbebe stated.
He emphasized the urgent need for sustainable solutions from the government, expressing dissatisfaction with the current palliative measures that often fail to reach genuine farmers.
“The challenges faced by poultry farmers are severe, with many forced to sell off their equipment and even their farms,” Egbebe lamented, urging farmers not to hastily abandon the sector despite its current difficulties.
Egbebe highlighted the escalating cost of poultry feed as a primary challenge, noting recent price hikes that have further strained farmers’ profitability.
“The price of poultry feed has been skyrocketing, increasing our production costs significantly. Just within the past few weeks, we’ve seen the cost of feed rise from N14,300 to N14,800 for a 25kg bag,” he explained.
Mojeed Iyiola, PAN’s Lagos State Chairman, attributed the current scarcity of eggs and subsequent price hikes to the closure of many poultry farms and the high cost of acquiring new stock.
“As more farmers exit the sector due to high operational costs, the supply of eggs has dwindled, pushing prices upward,” Iyiola remarked.
Despite these challenges, PAN remains hopeful that concerted efforts and sustainable interventions from stakeholders will revive the sector and ensure its long-term sustainability.
