As Nigeria joins the world to commemorate the 2021 World Egg Day, the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has appeal to the Federal Government to resuscitate the collapsing Poultry Industry.
National President, PAM, Ezekiel Mam, represented by the Director General, PAM, Dr. Onalo Akpan while speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday stated that while the production system is getting difficult daily the purchasing people’s power is eroding and the prices of the final poultry product is now going up, issues that farmers are contending with.
According to Mam, poultry farmers are now losing money and if this continues, the Industry will collapse with negative consequences inherent.
Mam explained that the political economic importance of the poultry
industry is evidenced by the fact that the Industry has consistently contributed over 25% to the Agricultural Gross Domestic Product (AGDP) of the national economy.
He added that in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Agenda ahead of us, the money importance of poultry products especially chicken and eggs which contributes about 36.5% of the protein intake of Nigerians would need to be taken seriously.
Mam, however appeal to the government to as a matter of policy, resuscitate some national programmes that will assist to ameliorate the health of Nigerians using egg as part of the country’s nutritional program.
He further stated that intensifying the School Feeding Program where an egg a day per Nigerian child can be meaningfully implemented in the country is key as the supplies of the eggs to school should be handled directly by the farmers rather than contracting it to contractors .
Mam added that egg should be part of the Prisons Feeding Program including various Peace Keeping Operations across the country and other parts of the world.
“In our Emergency Management Program, Eggs should be considered as a priority food product that could be supplied to displaced people at various locations IDPs or camps throughout the country”. He concluded.