Funke Busari
The Poultry Association of Nigeria, Ijebu Zone, Ogun State has directed its members not to sell eggs below the price of ₦1200 per crate to avoid going bankrupt in the egg production business.
This directive signed by its executives on Thursday is coming on the heels of persistent hike in the cost of feeds for layer and non-layer birds, among other challenges.
Also contained in the statement, the farmers said, “We are currently facing intense threat that might force farms to go underground, as a result of the serious challenges confronting our industry.
The Association therefore advised poultry farmers in the State, “The major happening is that farmers have been selling below their cost price due to individualistic behaviour of some of our farmers. To further minimise our losses the Executives have directed all farmers to have a minimum selling price of a crate of eggs to be ₦1200.
Find below the letter by the farmers
Below is the letter written by the officials of the PANOG IJEBU ZONE to all their members in order to turn the table around positively for themselves in the poultry farming business.
All of us the executives of PANOG IJEBU ZONE as farmers are as troubled by the circumstances around us as you the members.
We are currently facing intense threat that might force farms to go underground, as a result of the serious challenges confronting our industry.
The rising cost of poultry feeds which cut across all the species and ages is one of the factors responsible. Irregular prices and underpricing of our products is also a very big factor.
During the last festive season, large number of the farmers have closed-shops, while those still operating are either struggling to remain in business at zero profit or incurring huge debts to stay afloat.
As an association with with a vision, the executives at the Zonal, State and South-West level held a press conference to appeal and send an SOS to the Federal Government of Nigeria to save the poultry industry from imminent collapse.
As we all wait for the outcome of the engagement between the state executive, South West and the FG before trying ‘other options’, the Chairman and other executives of the zone are working round to clock to provide solution to these problems.
“The major happening is that farmers have been selling below their cost price due to individualistic behaviour of some of our farmers. To further minimise our losses the Executives have directed all farmers to have a minimum selling price of a crate of egg to be ₦1200.
Also on the long and medium term, the PANOG IJEBU ZONE is happy to inform our members that we are kick starting our cooperative society which in future will help in terms of feed price regulation, price control, access to cheap and quality feed and raw materials and soon.
