Poultry farmers seek government palliative

FOLLOWING fuel subsidy removal, devaluation of the naira and the attendant negative impact on poultry business, poultry farmers have called on the government at all levels to urgently intervene to prevent the imminent collapse of the sub-sector.

The farmers, under the aegis of the Erikorodo Poultry Association, made the appeal in a statement signed by its Chairman, Juliana Ibitoye, sighted by our correspondent on Sunday.

They appealed to the government to provide palliative support directly to farmers and farmhands within the Erikorodo Poultry Estate.

Speaking on their plight, the chairman of the association disclosed that most of their members had lost their capital within the past one year and were on the verge of imminent total collapse.

He stated, “This is to draw the attention of the government to the plight of poultry farmers all over the country and in particular Erikorodo Poultry Estate, Ikorodu, Lagos State. Over the last couple of months, the prices of poultry feeds have increased by over 100 per cent. This is a result of the scarcity of maize, which is a major component of poultry feed production. The devaluation of the naira and the fuel subsidy removal have also impacted the industry adversely.