The Poultry Association of Nigeria, Lagos State branch, has said insufficient supply of soyabeans and corn, two major ingredients of poultry feeds, is affecting their business.
PAN and other stakeholders have, therefore, called on the state and federal governments to come to their aid.
President of the association, Mr. Dotun Agbojo, said the only way they could make up for the shortfall in feeds supply was to resort to importation from United States, an option, he added, was cheaper.
He spoke at an emergency meeting with the stakeholders on the issue held in Lagos.
He said the prices of soya beans and corn had suddenly skyrocketed in the market because the poultry farmers were competing with big companies and multi-nationals that were purchasing those ingredients to produce their products.
He said, “It is now very difficult to get to buy soya beans and corn, because big companies that produce beverages and confectionaries are equally competing for the little that we have in the market current. So, we need to look for ways to addressing this situation by putting our destiny in our hands.
“If we do not do something now, many poultry farmers might out of business next year. That is the fact, because the countries from where we import the soya beans and maize are being hit by flooding and drought.”
Agbojo who stated that though the state and federal governments had good programmes to assist genuine farmers, noted that the problem was with the ‘political farmers’ who had hijacked the whole process.
He called on the state government to build silos for them, so that they could buy soya beans and corn when the prices are cheap, and keep them in the silos for future use.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Agriculture, Dr. Olawunmi Funso, said the state government held the poultry sub-sector of agriculture in high esteem and had put some measures in place to assist them to boost their business.
