The National President of Poultry Farmers Association, Mr Victor Oppong Adjei has stated the Planting for Food and Jobs program has collapsed the Poultry sector
According to him , there is no feed to be used to feed the Birds, and the little in the system is very expensive hence they cannot buy.
Addressing their challenges in an interview on Oyerepa Breakfast Show hosted by Nana Yaw Mensah Joel, he indicated that the ministry exports greater portion of maize and Soya Beans to other countries leaving little in the country for humans and Birds to depend on.
“The Soya and the little maize in the country are been exported to other countries, leaving little here for us to compete with humans “ When you go to Schools to ask, I don’t think you will get any school that will tell you that they have enough maize to feed on.” He stated
Lamenting further on the show, he stated that most Poultry farmers have sold their birds because the sector is no longer lucrative.
He said the influx of imported broilers into the country is making the local farmers unable to compete the market, because the exported birds are relatively cheaper
“It’s so sad that most poultry farmers have sold their birds because there is no feed for us. You buy expensive feed to feed the birds and the government comes in by importing relatively cheaper chicken into the country. Making us unable to sell ours , because the people say our chicken is expensive.“ He lamented
Elaborating further, Mr Oppong said the government imports six hundred thousand metric tons of Chicken amounting to six hundred million dollars into the country annually.
He later blamed the technocrats at the Ministry Of Food And Agriculture for not touching base with Stakeholders in the Poultry Industry whenever they wanted to implement certain policies.
Source: Oyerepafmonline.com / Francisca Intsiful
