The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has called for continuous support of the Federal Government through grains intervention in 2024.
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They made the call in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.
The Chairman of PAN, Lagos chapter, Mr Mojeed Iyiola, said the sector would only prosper with continuous interventions of the government at all levels.
“This year we want the government at all levels to engage in more interventions in feed production for local farmers.
“We have problems in input procurement, most especially in reference to maize and soya.
“We will like to appreciate the Lagos State Government for their interventions last year in respect to maize for feed milling.
“We also appeal to the Federal Government to fulfill its promise in the provision of substantial amount of maize for poultry farmers.
“We hope to start seeing the maize intervention from the Federal Government will start rolling in.
“We believe 2024 will be a profitable year for poultry farmers with these interventions,” Iyiola told NAN.
Iyiola, however, commended the Federal Government for its support in the sector in the previous year.
“We commend the government’s efforts so far, but if they can fulfil all the promises they made to us will help boost productivity of the sector.
“The maize intervention of last year has so far helped to bring down the price of maize in the general market to a large extent.
“However, if the interventions do not continue, the price of maize will increase again in no distance time.
“Though we have not gotten any relief in terms of soya, so we are still expecting more.
“We produce soyabeans locally but most of it is smuggled out of the country, so we appeal to the government to stop it,” he added.
Also speaking, Mr Godwin Egbebe, the National Publicity Secretary, PAN, called on the government to curtail the smuggling of local grains to neighbouring countries.
Egbede said the major problem of the poultry was the high price of grains.
“We want the government to put an end to the exportation/smuggling of our grains to neighbouring countries like Togo, Ghana and Benin Republic.
“We hope all these will be corrected this year. We need to be self-sufficient locally before we start exportation of our grains.
“We need bailouts for the sector this year, and these bailouts must be strategic.
“We need to ensure they get to the right farmers. The government has been doing bailouts for the sector but most times it is not directed to the right people.
“The government should ensure the implementation of its bailouts is well carried out, so as to reach the right farmers,” Egbebe said.
