The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the rising cost of poultry feeds in the industry.

The Lagos State Chairman of the association, Mojeed Iyiola, who made the call in an interview with NAN in Lagos on Thursday, June 1, said the rising cost of feeds was gradually crippling the sector’s productivity.

Iyiola said: “We are grateful for the new administration, and we hope it will further boost the productivity of the Nigerian poultry sector.

“All we want is for the new administration to reduce the cost of feed in the industry.

“The price of feeds is increasing daily and gradually becoming unbearable for poultry farmers to continue.

“We are currently at a consultative meeting where we are agitating for maize intervention from the Federal Government.

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“Actually, the maize has been supplied, but the cost at which we are getting it is even higher than the cost in the open market, we want the government to reduce the price.”

He stated that the Federal Government’s intervention would enable items to normalise in the sector, adding: “If the cost of poultry materials could be brought down, the cost of the poultry produce will also come down and would be within the reach of the average Nigerian.”

Iyiola also called on the new administration to continue with the national school feeding project to boost the sector.

The PAN chairman said: “We also want the new administration to revamp the school feeding programme. The government should intensify effort on this because very few states are still doing the project.

“Lagos State is still operating the school feeding programme but now for over three years they have stopped using eggs for the meals. Instead, they use fish.

“By this, they have rendered our produce useless. The government should continue the feeding programme and ensure that eggs are included in the meals.

“We also want the new administration to invest in infrastructure to boost the poultry sector value chain.

“We want to thank the Lagos State Government for the provision of the egg powder machine; we believe the government can do more at the federal level.

“With infrastructure investment in the sector, we will be able to address the recurrent egg glut situation we experience in the sector,” Iyiola stressed.

The Star