By Agnes Afolabi
The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has urged the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the rising cost of poultry feed in the country.
The Association made the call at the opening ceremony of the 12th edition of the Nigeria Poultry Show in Abeokuta, with the theme “Mitigating the challenges of the Poultry Industry: Current perspectives, the role of government and the private sector”.
PAN noted that the challenge of the rising cost of poultry feed as well as other challenges facing the poultry industry were greatly affecting the sector.
Dr. Ayoola Oduntan, the Group Managing Director of AMO Group of Companies who delivered a paper at the event, said the Federal Government should support the agriculture sector to guarantee food security.
“Agriculture is 21% of GDP; it is the biggest employer of labour in this country. Subsidy is not a bad word if it is directed towards production rather than consumption. We would like the government to provide significant and specific support to agriculture; we have no business in importing foods.
“We need government support; we need to sit with the government to explain to them, walking the talk with them to bring agriculture to the rightful place,” Oduntan noted.
Earlier in his opening remarks, Chairman of the South-West Zone of the association, Rev. Gideon Oluleye, said the show aimed to find lasting solutions to confront the challenges facing the poultry industry and revive it.
“Let the government increase funding into agriculture, particularly the poultry subsector. We are also enjoining the government to create a market for farmers through policies like the school feeding programme.
“Let them use our products to feed internally displaced persons (IDP) centres, the correctional centres. If there are concerted plans in this direction, I am sure we won’t have the problem of sales,” Oluleye said.
The association’s National President, Mr. Sunday Ezeobiora, in his remarks decried the high cost of production, listing funding, infrastructure and marketing as some of the challenges presently facing the poultry industry.
He stressed that “if these are not handled well, they may kill the poultry industry in Nigeria.”
The Commissioners for Agriculture from States in the South-West geo-political zone were present at the occasion.
The Commissioners from Ogun, Mr Bolu Owotomo; Lagos, Hon. Abisola Olusanya and Oyo State, Mr. Olasunkunmi Oluleye, who was represented by Dr. Abimbola Oladapo all delivered goodwill messages during the opening ceremony.
They however pledged their continuous support for the agriculture sector in their various States in line with the Federal Government’s move to enhance food production in the country.
Highlight of the event was the tour of exhibition booths where different poultry equipment and feeds, among others, were displayed by about 130 exhibitors which comprises major players in the agro-equipments business.
Among the exhibitors are Animal Care, TOPFEEDS, HI-PRO, Bifems, Agro Bar Magen, Sun Seed Nigeria, Obasanjo Farms, KEMIN, Terratiga Ltd. YAMMFY Farms, TOSAM, Big Dutchman, Jubaili Agrotec, Cifek International Ltd, ADM, Vetilog Phama Nig. CHI among others.