Paultry Association Warns Of Imminent Collapse Of Industry

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Minister Of Agric Sabo Nanono

The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has warned that if urgent actions are not taken by government to reduce the high cost of grains and other challenges facing the poultry industry, the industry may shutdown completely by January next year.

Addressing reporters in Abuja, its National President, Ezekiel Ibrahim said the industry which is worth over N10 trillion, provides over 20 million direct and indirect jobs to Nigerians.

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He explained that with the attendant fallouts and the grains supply situation in the country, the prices of maize went up from N95,000 per ton to N165,000 per ton in June, 2020, while soybean is selling between N215, 000 to N250,000 per tons currently.

“The government supported the industry with the release of 5,000mt of maize at subsidised prices expecting that the price of maize will fall or stabilise during the harvest season,” he said.

He said billions of naira was lost to sale of eggs and chicken during the COVID-19 lockdown resulting in the closure of many small and medium size poultry farms. He said more worrisome at the moment is that soybeans supply and demand situation in the country, which he said is precarious and not available in the market.

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