The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) at a press conference in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, appealed to the federal government of Nigeria for provision of bailout forms, loan facilities, subsidies and other financial assistance for members of its association. South West PAN Chairman, Reverend Gideon Oluleye, complained that its members have been negatively affected by several policies of the federal government of Nigeria and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). These policies include naira redesign and increased interest rates.
Strongly supported by member of the association, Rev. Oluleye added that present security challenges across the country have negatively affected productivity. Insecurity issues have made it difficult for many members to access their farms. Therefore, the association requested that the federal government render assistance to the association through bailout funds, subsidies and other financial means. Re-introduction of school feeding programme was also advised by the Chairman to absolve some of the farmers’ eggs and chicken meat.
Farmers request mop up 15-20 million chicken products.
Nigerian federal government was further advised to contribute to subsidization of major farm inputs, like maize and soya, more aggressively than before. Rev. Oluleye’s explanation stated that this will help in reducing the negative consequences of the government’s naira redesign policy on the farmers. To safely rescue the poultry sub-sector from total crumbling, federal and state governments, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other concerned government agencies are required to rise and intervene in every way possible.
According to the required intervention, the farmers requests a mop up of about 15 to 20 million unsold crates of eggs and chicken presently in the sub-sector to lessen the losses of farmers. It was suggested that some mopped up products be used in feeding people in IDP camps and correctional facilities across the country. While others be used in government hospitals where eggs are needed to foster quick recovery and strengthen immunity in sick and ailing patients.
Naira redesign policy affect poultry farmers.
Additionally, the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) advised swift resuscitation of the school feeding programme, ensuring provision of eggs and chicken meat as major constituents of the program. This act would also assist in absolving some of the unsold eggs and chicken meat by farmers. The plea for subsidization is also emphasized to ameliorate the negative effects of the naira redesign policy on farmers — who are responsible for the sub-sector that generates about 6 percent of the country GDP.
At the conference, the South West Chairman asserted that a lot of farmers run their poultry farms on loans and, due to the some policies made by the government and security challenges, are no longer able to fulfill loan obligations. Therefore, the association requests that the federal government and the CBN defray part of these loans and in some cases issue outright cancellation of the loans. By doing so, farmers would be able to recover from losses and save the sector from total crush.
Crates of eggs worth millions remain unsold by farmers.
To ensure urgent action is taken, the federal government was urged to organize a committee that will commence the mopping up of unsold eggs and chicken meat affected by the naira redesign policy because the eggs are going bad. Just one farmer is currently in possession of one hundred thousand unsold eggs in the farm, worth about two hundred million naira. Absolving and mopping up these chicken products is very likely to prevent an imminent breakdown of the sector.
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