The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has lamented the high cost of maize prices and the scarcity of the product in Nigeria which is forcing farmers to shut down their poultry farms.
The development is said to have caused impediments in the ability to feed the birds and sustain businesses putting over 25 million jobs at stake.
Maize is one of the primary ingredients used in the production of feeds for poultry birds.
This negative economic prospect was contained in a statement issued by the leadership of the poultry association in Abuja on Monday.
The association, in the statement jointly signed by its director-general, Dr Onallo Akpa and the national president, Sunday Ezeobiora, accused the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) of frustrating developments in the sector.
Although the association acknowledged recent government efforts especially the import restriction of frozen chicken which saw positive multiplier effects on the growth of the sector, it however said in the current dispensation and scheme of things, the poultry industry is being frustrated by the Nigeria Commodity Exchange (NCX) and the Strategic Maize Reserve (SMR) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
In order to salvage the poultry industry from the imminent collapse it is witnessing, the leadership of the Poultry Association of Nigeria prays as follows; directing both the Nigeria Commodity Exchange (NCX) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which manages the Strategic Maize Reserve Programme (SMRP) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to FREE the allocations of 40,000 metric tons to the Poultry industry through the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN)”, the statement reads in parts.
“The Government should direct the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural to release 20,000 Metric Tons of Maize from the Strategic Food Reserves of the Ministry to the Poultry industry through the Poultry Association of Nigeria at discounted prices so as to mitigate the current challenges to the Poultry industry in the country.
That the allocations by both organizations should be at the rate (price) per metric ton that the allocations were made understanding that these organisations are to intervene in critical sectors of the economy for developmental purposes and not merchandise”, PAN added.
The association further stressed that the poultry industry is the low-hanging fruit to achieve the overall objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDG), and providing employment while producing affordable homegrown proteins for Nigerians therefore every effort and support should be given to the subsector to prevent it from collapse.
