- Safiu Kehinde
Poultry business investors and farmers have cried out over the high cost of feeds as they demand government’s intervention.
The call was made by Chairman of the Oyo State chapter of Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Omidokun Oyekunle, during the celebration of 2024 World Egg Day in Ibadan on Friday.
Oyekunle, represented by PAN Ibadan Zone I1 Chairman, Mr Wole Olulade, spoke also about the association’s several challenges during a visit to the Ido Local Government Chairman, Mr Sheriff Adeojo.
The chairman disclosed that the high cost of feeds was greatly affecting the poultry business in Nigeria, adding that this was responsible for the high cost of eggs and other poulty products.
“Governments need to assist us primarily on inputs, particularly maize and soya beans, which we have control over in Nigeria.
“A lot of other micro-nutrients which are also expensive are imported, and with time we will get there and have control over them.
“But the one we have control over is maize and soyabeans,” he said.
However, the Oyo State PAN chairman stated that maize was about 50 per cent higher in Nigeria than any other country in the world.
“Nigeria needs to improve on the production of those two commodities, if we are to turn around things,” he said.
Oyekunle said further that governments need to assist with incentives or regulate the cost of the commodities for the association.
He stressed that government’s intervention will help reduce the cost of the feeds.
“This will help Nigeria to be within the bracket of what is happening globally,” he said.
Meanwhile, Oyekunle urged Nigerians to consume at least one egg daily, saying eggs contained all nutrients except vitamin C.
“It boosts immunity and help the body to function well,” he added.
In his reaction, Adeojo who was represented by a council official, Mr Bashir Adeshiyan, pledged the Ido local council’s commitment to prioritising agriculture and boosting production.
Adeojo said the council would continue to do its best to ensure inputs got to people who really needed them and not politicians, in order to reduce the association’s production cost.
According to reports the association members also visited Community High School and Nawarudeen Primary School, both in Ido, and the Primary Health Centre at Ologuneru to distribute eggs.
They also educated those they visited on the benefits of egg consumption.