By Fatima Muraina

In the  aftermath of the outbreak of COVID-19, the Nigerian poultry industry has faced serious challenges, while stakeholders have  found it increasingly  difficult  to address them. The situation was compounded by the economic crisis affecting the world in general, which has had  an adverse effect on the industry, leading to its gradual collapse.

The Nigerian poultry industry is crucial for the country’s economy, contributing to job creation and food security. Thus, threats to its existence  casts a shadow over Nigeria’s economy, resulting in revenue losses, mass unemployment, and ripple effects on ancillary sectors.

The Nigerian poultry industry comprises about 180 million birds, with 80 million chickens raised in extensive systems, 60 million in semi-intensive systems, and 40 million in intensive systems. Poultry production in Nigeria amounts to 300 metric tonnes of meat and 650 metric tonness of eggs per year.

The  daunting  challenge facing the poultry industry are so devastating that some farmers have begun to close down their farms, despite the efforts of the poultry association to help them survive through seminars and workshops on sustainability. On a television breakfast programme, a poultry farmer, Mr. Taiwo Adeoye, stated that about 85 million Nigerians are involved in poultry production, but over 30 percent of poultry farmers have closed their farms nationwide.

Adeoye, who is also the Chairman of the Poultry Science Department of the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science, affirmed that there are more issues to resolve, particularly in encouraging farmers to mechanize their operations. According to him, those who have closed down complained bitterly about the high cost of transportation.

He explained  that feed millers have raised feed prices due to the unavailability of raw materials and the high costs of those available in small quantities. Among these raw materials are maize, soya, wheat, and the GMT, which are scarce.

Earlier, in a related report, the National Publicity Secretary of the Poultry Farmers Association, Mr. Godwin Egbebe, attributed the closure of farms to exorbitant production and transportation costs. Poultry farming is important and constitutes about 80 percent of poultry stocks in low-income, food-deficit countries, significantly contributing to improving human nutrition by providing food (eggs and meat) rich in nutrients and micronutrients.

The Chairman of the Southwest Poultry Farmers Association, Pastor Gideon Oluleye, confirmed that about 40 to 50 percent of farmers have closed down, explaining that the closures result from the high cost of production, particularly regarding raw materials and feed.

“In Nigeria, the poultry sector has created over 25 million jobs when operating at full capacity. In the Southwest, after the civil service, the poultry sector is the second-largest employer,” Oluleye stated.

He also mentioned that the association has generated over six percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the Nigerian economy.

He said the association tried to reduce food costs by lowering product prices when the government extended assistance in grain distribution a few months ago, but this was not sustainable.

“We reduced the price of eggs in the market; instead of selling them for #4,500, we asked everyone to come to the farm to buy them for #3,000. I believe we succeeded in bringing down the cost of eggs in the market,” he added.

“The cost of chicken was also reduced, but as the economy stands now, it is difficult for us to sustain this reduction because we are also in business to make money. Generally, any poultry farmer operating now is running at a loss or just keeping afloat, so there’s little we can do. Once the economy improves and the costs of inputs decrease, we can do more,” he explained.

“The government has a major role to play in making these inputs available, intervening, and reducing production costs. Our responsibility is to produce; the government should cushion or subsidize the inputs we use on our farms. This will enable us to reduce the cost of our products in the market.

” A poultry farmer, Mrs. Grace Owolanke, expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s failure to assist them, which she said has contributed to the closure of farms, leaving farmers feeling hopeless.

 “It is not encouraging at all; the cost of production is beyond our reach. We still borrow money to augment our farms. The government does not see the importance of poultry farms, and the little assistance they provide in terms of grain does not take us far. I am only struggling to stay,” she said.

A poultry consultant in Akure, Mr. Olusegun Alajo, who is also the Chief Livestock Officer of the Ministry of Agriculture, stated that the government must have the political will to empower poultry and crop farmers to produce grain. Alajo  said, “The major problem is feed; the high cost of feed. If we can have sufficient feed ingredients, especially maize and soybean—those two key ingredients—farmers will be encouraged and empowered to produce massively.”

He noted that poultry farmers continue to face high production costs, as 70 percent of their expenses go into feeding. The limited support provided by the government sometime  ago was grossly insufficient and unsustainable.

He emphasized that farmers needed government intervention, particularly regarding mechanization through the provision of tractors for effective farming to boost production, unlike the current situation where farmers are practising homestead agriculture.

“In Niger State, for example, the government acquired about a thousand tractors to prepare land for farmers. If our farmers can be assisted to prepare the land at little or no cost, then planting will not be difficult for them, enabling mass production.”

He observed that this would help reduce the cost of grains, which are key ingredients for production, thereby reducing overall production costs.

The consultant advised those considering closing down to downsize instead, as the future will be bright.

“Things are getting better, by the grace of God. Instead of folding up, they should follow the path of resilience, endure, and keep pushing until they break even.”

 He encouraged those not producing crops to venture into crop production, particularly maize.

He highlighted the need for poultry hatcheries in all three senatorial districts to provide chicks and reduce their high costs on farms.

“I’m in business beacause I cannot sit idle,” she said.