Akwa Ibom moves to reactivate state hatchery to boost poultry production

…declares holidays for agricultural practice

As part of move to boost poultry production and ease the high cost of eggs, the Akwa Ibom State Government has given an indication that it will reactivate the state-owned Prime hatchery located in the Uruan Council Area of the State.

The Prime hatchery was established by Akwa Ibom State Government a few years ago but was later leased out to an investor who was said to have failed to break even leading to the suspension of its operations as it could neither produce any of the poultry products expected nor ran the hatchery profitably.

At the inauguration of the hatchery, it was expected to meet the poultry needs of the people by producing poultry products including eggs and being able to produce day-old chicks for poultry farmers in the state.

Speaking in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital during a media interaction to mark his first anniversary, Governor Umo Eno said the State Government would revisit the project with a view to reactivating it to enable it to meet the poultry needs of the people.

He said, “We can get the private sector to be interested in the hatchery project”. He expressed hope that it would be revitalised as the cost of poultry products had reached an all time high in the State.

Speaking on the high cost of food items, he said the Bulk Purchase Agency, established by the State Government was not meant to lower the prices of food items, adding that it was meant for the most vulnerable people in the society.

Governor Eno said the solution to the high cost of food prices was that ‘’all of us need to return to fhe farm,’’ adding that if everyone has a farm to cultivate basic food crops, prices would witness reduction.

He said it was unfortunate for Akwa Ibom to depend on food items from other States of the Federation, which he said, could no longer be acceptable.

Last month, the State Government declared every first and last Friday of the month as work free days to enable civil servants to return to the farm for the cultivation of food crops.