In a strategic bid to lower the cost of eggs and other poultry products in Lagos, the state’s chapter of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), has announced plans to set up direct-to-consumer sales points across all Local Government Areas (LGAs), potentially cutting egg prices by up to N1,000 per crate.

Chairman of PAN Lagos, Mojeed Iyiola, said the initiative is aimed at eliminating middlemen and making poultry products more affordable for residents. He disclosed this during a media parley yesterday, noting the association is already engaging with local government authorities to provide spaces where farmers can sell directly to consumers.

“We are currently working with the local government areas in Lagos State to give us space in their premises where we can sell the produce at affordable prices without the interference of middlemen,” Iyiola said.

He said consumers pay up to N6,500 for a crate of eggs sold by middlemen, even though farmers receive just N5,000 to N5,500 at the farm gate.

“This will help cushion the effects of the hike in the price of poultry produce for the common man, as we can now sell to them directly,” he added.

While the price of maize, a key feed ingredient, has recently dropped due to government intervention, Iyiola stressed that the overall cost of poultry production remains high because other inputs remain expensive and volatile.

“Although maize prices have dropped, maize is only one out of about 15 ingredients used in the formulation of poultry feed. We still have around 14 other components, and their prices are far from stable,” he said.

He revealed that maize accounts for nearly 60 per cent of poultry feed, but highlighted the escalating prices of other inputs like Methylene, lysine, urea, and groundnut cake.

“We used to buy a 25kg bag of Methylene at between N25,000 and N30,000, but now the same quantity sells for N150,000. It’s the same story with lysine, and the prices of urea and groundnut cake haven’t dropped either. They remain high and significantly influence the cost of eggs,” Iyiola stated.

He called for broader government support to stabilize the poultry feed market, urging intervention beyond maize pricing to ensure sustainable affordability of poultry products for Nigerians.