Experts have charged the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) to collaborate with other stakeholders to address the high cost of feed in poultry farming and other challenges.
They stated this in Ibadan recently during the 2022 annual Zonal workshop of PAN, Oyo State, Ibadan Zone one.
The event which had the theme: ‘The Recurrent Inputs Challenges in Industry; The Way Out’, had in attendance poultry farmers and other key players in the industry.
In her lecture, Professor Omolade Oladele, from Avian Unit, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan said there must be adequate planning to reduce high cost of feed in poultry farming, which is the major challenge farmers are faced with.
She said: “Stakeholders must come to a roundtable; PAN and others in the agricultural production such as Maize and Soybeans farmers, in order to determine the quality of Soybeans and Maize local farmers grow per year, how much is needed by the poultry industry and the deficit.
“With this knowledge PAN can then approach the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria requesting that a certain amount of feed components need to be imported as there is a ban on the commodities.
“Until we are able to produce enough, we need to allow for importation of just the deficits identified by PAN.”
Oladele said exportation of Soybeans should be discouraged for now, all leakages must be blocked until local consumption is satisfied.
The don enjoined PAN to step up marketing of eggs by emphasising on its importance to health and collaborating to engage in its secondary production, adding that the cholesterol in an egg is less than its daily requirement.
Another speaker, Dr James Wageti, the General Manager, Adamore Nig. Ltd enjoined farmers to plug unnecessary waste in feeding their birds, to reduce cost of production and ensure efficiency for greater output.
“Challenges in poultry production are not only limited to Nigeria, it is a global issue. Prices of raw materials for feed keep going up and it is compounded by crises in other parts of the world, such as the Ukraine and Russia war.
“So, poultry farmers need to be efficient in managing their resources well and ensuring productivity.
“They need to avoid things that amount to hidden losses in poultry, “ Wageti said.
He charged them to embrace best practices and adopt the India strategy to increase egg consumption.
Earlier in his address, Mr Abiola Abiodun, chairman, PAN, Ibadan Zone one and a Vice president in Oyo State highlighted the importance of poultry farming in Nigeria as a major contribution to the livelihoods of many Nigerians.
Abiodun noted that the industry has been facing enormous difficulties causing some farmers to reduce their workforce, while some quit farming thereby affecting families.
“We are gathered here to identify the way out to some of the current input challenges facing the poultry industry, “ he said.
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