Nigeria poultry farmers are hit by the scarcity and continuous rise in the prices of maize – a key input in the production of feeds.
They stressed that the scarcity of maize posed a major threat to their businesses and food security in the country.
Blessing Dominic, a Plateau State based poultry farmer who rears both broiler and layer birds, said her birds no longer feed properly due to the unavailability of feeds as a result of the scarcity of maize.
“The painful thing is that there is very limited feed available in the market. When we complained to the local companies that produce feed, they said they can’t produce feed due to maize scarcity,” Dominic said.
“At this point, we are really suffering; the government should do something and help us survive,” she added.
She notes that owing to the difficult moment her farm is experiencing, she was forced to lay-off some employees.
Emwinghare Osaze, a Benin based poultry farmer, described the current scarcity and price rise of maize as a threat to the poultry business.
“The government is trying to discourage the importation of frozen chicken and majority of us poultry farmers are trying to go into broiler production and processing. But with this increase in the price of maize and the non-availability, I really don’t see how we are going to survive,” Osaze said in a statement.
Alfred Mrakpor, chairman, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) –Delta State chapter urged the government to permit the importation of maize into Nigeria as a result of the shortage currently experienced in the country.
He described the scarcity of maize as a threat to Nigeria’s food security, saying that several poultry farms are already shutting down.
“The rising cost of maize is threatening livelihoods of small businesses in Nigeria,” he said.
“It is not only poultry farmers’ investments that are threatened, but also other players in the value chain such as feed producers, chicken and egg vendors, processors, grain traders, veterinary doctors and drug vendors among others, thus plunging the economy into deeper crisis,” he further said.
Similarly, Austin Eze, a maize supplier, said the poultry industry is in dire situation as a result of the scarcity.
“We are getting to the point where there will almost be nothing available for anybody to use. On a normal day, when you go to buy maize in some markets, you can fill 40 trucks. Currently, you can’t even fill a truck. The scarcity of maize is a major problem right now,” Eze said.
Shehu Muazu, who also supplies to millers said his search for maize to supply his customers has been fruitless. He said that the high prices and the scarcity of the crop had instilled fear amongst animal feed manufacturers.
