Poultry farmers in Bwari Area Council, Federal Capital Territory, have expressed distress over the continuous surge in the cost of poultry feeds and a decline in bird sales amid the festivities, calling for intervention to alleviate the financial strain.
Mrs Joy Felix, a concerned farmer, highlighted the challenges faced by poultry farmers, citing the escalating costs of both feeds and medications for birds.
She emphasised the impact on profits during the festive season, attributing it to heightened demand for feeds during the last quarter of the year.
She stated, “You spend so much in setting up and most importantly the cost of feed hardly comes down once it goes up. Sometimes it suffers artificial scarcity and then a hike in price when it resurfaces.
“Once it is the fourth quarter of the year when a lot of people keep birds for either personal or commercial purposes during the Christmas season, the rush that comes with it gives the producers of these feeds a high advantage to make money and at the end of the day, you spend so much feeding these birds and then buyers bargain for less.
“It is somewhat frustrating. In the end, you may have to sell at a giveaway price so you do not lose.”
READ MORE: Christmas Tragedy: Technician Electrocuted in Ogun While Installing Billboard
Felix revealed that farmers often resort to organic remedies, such as bitter leaves and pawpaw leaves, due to the high cost of drugs. She appealed to farmers’ associations and stakeholders to collaborate in finding lasting solutions.
“We sometimes use medicinal plants like bitter leaves and pawpaw leaves to either treat minor infections or boost their feeding, except when the situation is severe and in dire need of a veterinarian,” she added.
Mr. Ayo Bamidele echoed similar concerns, citing exorbitant feed prices ranging from N10,000 to N14,000 per 50kg bag in the past month.
He highlighted the difficulty farmers face in selling birds during festive periods, as high feed costs force them to set prices that potential buyers cannot afford.
He said, “The cost of feeds has made farmers put high prices on the birds yet, buyers do not have that kind of money to buy them.
“Some of us made good breeds grow well enough for the price we put but the buyers don’t know this, they have no idea what it takes to feed and make the birds gain weight.
“Also, with the economic situation, people want to buy but they don’t have the money. It is unfortunate. I wish we all could just help each other make things easy for ourselves.”
Despite the challenges, Bamidele expressed optimism about making profitable sales during and after the yuletide, underscoring the need for collective support within the farming community.
Distributor of poultry feed, Mr. Elimah Jacob shed light on the industry dynamics, attributing the feed price surge to companies facing scarcity or shortages of raw materials for production.
He also emphasized the impact of rising transportation costs, causing delays in supply fulfillment.
“We pay for bags of feeds in millions and the transportation, which may be in one or more trailer vehicles, cost a fortune also.
“Most times, you pay in full, yet, it takes several weeks before your supplies arrive because the demand may be high at that moment and it takes turns to service distributors.
“By the time it finally gets to the point of sale, there is usually a rush for it,” Jacob Disclosed.
Jacob suggested that prices might stabilize post-Christmas, acknowledging the fluctuating nature of feed costs.
Credit: NAN