Ogun State chapter of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PANOG) has lamented poor funding, insecurity, as well as the “low consumption ratio of eggs,” saying it is hampering the development of the sector in the country.
This is just as PANOG disclosed that Nigeria as at October 2022, currently has 63 million chickens producing an annual unit of 10 billion eggs from all the poultry farms spread across the country, with Ogun State inputs of 10 million of them.
PANOG state’s chairman, Idowu Asenuga, who disclosed this in Abeokuta while addressing reporters ahead of this year’s World Eggs Day celebration, called on both the state and federal governments, as well as other critical stakeholders in the sector to assist towards ensuring that poultry farmers have access to single digit interest credit facility and provision of adequate security to enhance farming activities.
Lamenting the poor funding which he said has continued to jeopardize poultry farmers’ existence in business, Asenuga also decried the situation whereby an average of 50 eggs per person are consumed annually as against China which produces 472,6billion eggs per year with 315 eggs consumption per person annually.
PANOG’s state chairman also identified rising cost of feeds among other challenges hurting poultry farming which he said is orchestrated by the high cost of sourcing grains for preparing chicken feeds.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State government said it would not renege in its efforts at prioritizing the safety of poultry farmers as well as their investment across the state.
Speaking through the special adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Agriculture, Dr. Angel Adelaja – Kuye, the government said a synergy already existed between it and the farmers.
