THE National President of Maize Association of Nigeria (MAAN), Pastor Tunji Adenola, on Tuesday, said that poultry farms across the country were closing down as a result of the shortfall in the supply of Maize for feed.
He called for the urgent need to address this ugly trend in order not to lose the market of poultry products in the country to importations from other countries.
Pastor Adenola who said this at the occasion of the Maize Day held in Abuja, called on its members to review activities going on in the Maize value chain and come up with a workable approach to reposition the Maize industry in Nigeria.
According to him “dear colleagues, I am sure we all are aware of why we are gathered today. We as a nation are at a crossroad on the issue of inadequate Maize production resulting in excessive high price and regular importation of this essential raw material critical for food, feed, and industry across the length and breadth of the nation.
“Today the poultry industry is almost at a comatose because Maize is in short supply, I have seen many farms that are closed down, and this has to be reversed, the poultry industry must be revived and we have a lot of roles to play here.”
He, however, said “the atmosphere is right now for us to take this decisive and bold step when we have all suffered from the effect of last year’s shortage and now that government is diversifying the economy and focusing on agriculture to achieve her goal.
“I will, therefore, like to suggest that we quickly review our activities thus far to identify what we have not done correctly along the whole Maize value chain. Then proffer workable non-theoretical but practical approach that will be business oriented to take us to the Promised Land of self-sufficiency and with the surplus for export.”
Furthermore, the MAAN National President said a lot of biotic and abiotic factor have hindered the growth of the Maize industry, ranging from government inconsistent policies and an outbreak of diseases which had threatened Maize farming the recent past.
His words: “A number of biotic and abiotic stresses have regrettably hindered the pace of growth expected in the industry. Some human factors and some government policies have also contributed to the slowing down being experienced.
“For instance, lack of definite government policy that totally bans the importation of Maize into the country is one limitation, inconsistent government policies, an outbreak of pests and diseases like the recent Fall Army Worm constitute a major setback to massive Maize production and discourages farmers’ investment in Maize production.”
He, therefore, said “we must find ways to eliminate all man-made inhibitions to the growth of Maize value chain. There is need to get the Federal Ministries to have the same understanding and take the same position on government policies. A situation where 3 government ministries take different positions on the same subject within the same government is not ideal for a nation on the path of growth and change.”
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