Bridging The Gap Between Locally Produced Chickens And Smuggled Ones

FROZEN chicken and turkey are everywhere in the market despite the fact that the government banned the importation of these products. They are found even in the remotest part of the country.

Although many of the people that are buying smuggled frozen chicken and turkey know that it is dangerous for their health, they go for it. This is because they want to eat chicken. Why do some people just want to satisfy the urge of eating imported chicken to face the consequence later? Who do we blame for the proliferation of imported frozen chicken and turkey in the country? Is it the buyers or the regulatory agencies?

Former general manager, Folawiyo Farms Ltd. Ilora, Oyo State, currently the managing director, Elim Livestock Nigeria Ltd, Ibadan, Adegboyega Aofolaju disclosed that the influx of imported chicken in the market is as a result of several factors.

“Lack of political will on the part of government to enforce the ban on importation. Essentially, our borders are very porous and our customs service is highly compromised. There is also the demand gap for the products.”

He said that although we have quite a couple of big farms, they are not sufficient to adequately meet the needs of the teeming population of Nigeria.

“The awareness to eat white meat, rapidly expanding eateries and increased awareness of global trend in eating culture all contribute to the ever expanding demand for the product.”

According to him, quite noticeable is the compliance of major super markets especially in our major cities to sell only locally produced poultry, but what is the population of the citizenry that patronise these mega super stores where control of policies can be enforced?

He added that in the open markets where most people visit and a large amount of these banned products are sold, there is little or no regulation.

“I believe the government through her agencies and the Poultry Association of Nigeria along with relevant professional bodies e.g Animal Science Association of Nigeria, Nigeria Institute of Animal Science must prove beyond reasonable doubt that these products are indeed dangerous to health hence, it remains a mere propaganda.”

He added that there must be scientific proof that people can relate to before the card of its being dangerous to health can hold any water.

According to him, poverty, ignorance and lack of affordable alternative are also major reasons why people go for imported chicken.
“That it is cheaper to buy imported chicken is no news. Cost of production in the country is not only high, it is dangerously unstable. Guarantees are not available that farmers will always sell their goods at a profit. Sometimes, it is very shameful to admit that some of the products in the market by indigenous producers are substandard.”

The poultry expert added that highly inefficient production systems is also a reason for high cost of production of local chicken and where farmers can avail themselves of credit, the funding cost is very high.

“Very few farmers can meet the requirements of commercial institutions to access loans. When in some more advanced countries few farmers feed their nations, it is the opposite in Nigeria. Hence, the production gap will continue to exist.”

Another major challenge facing farmers, particularly the poultry industries, he said, is that it is an all comers industry.

“So many untrained personnel have invaded the sector such that the rate of failure is very high, thereby leading to serious misconception about the profitability or otherwise of the business.”

Aofolaju disclosed that the present government could benefit farmers by stopping paying lip service to policies, strict implementation should be ensured.

“The poultry sector is not an island on its own, other sectors in the agriculture chain should equally be strengthened. Arable crop production e.g maize, soya bean, groundnuts must all receive proper attention. There must be a form of arrangement through cooperative institutions where cheap funds can be accessed.”

He added that task force should walk into the local markets to impound imported frozen chicken products. He emphasised that little can be done when the demand gap still exists for such products.

“There is also the challenge for agricultural institutions and research station to be funded and that commercial-based research should be the focus. It is my sincere desire that government should play a more active role in agricultural associations and organisations more often than self-serving individuals. Since most of the help from government pass through these bodies they end up not getting to the right quarters,”

He recommended that serious individuals (farmers) should be encouraged through patronage. “Financial institutions should relax lending conditions for farmers without necessarily jeopardising their positions.

“Finally we cannot run away from the fact that there are better technologies than we presently have in the country. We should encourage by way of providing a suitable environment for overseas investment in agriculture. By so doing, we will learn and ultimately be the better for it,” he said.   

The Vice Chairman, Etiosa Local Council Lagos State Poultry Association and Farm Manager, Akin Sateru Farms Nig. Ltd, Godwin Egbebe disclosed that imported chicken has a lot of negative impacts on the health of the consumers vis-à-vis economic loss in terms of competition with those that are doing legitimate business.

“There are two ways to go about it: One way is for the government to legalise importation of frozen chicken thereby regulating the frozen chicken and turkey being imported into the country. On the long run, you will see that many people will go into the business and they will crash the business. As it is now, the business is left into the hands of a group of cartel and they have all the money and the machinery to bring in these things illegally with various forms of packaging using formalin (chemical used for embalming) to preserve it.”

He admitted that formalin is not good for human consumption. “The other aspect of it is if the government can help the farmers to subsidise cost of production of chicken so that the poultry farmers will be able to compete with the imported or smuggled chicken. I think that will make the price to crash.”

Egbebe said that majority of Nigerians know the health implications of imported chicken. “But because people want to eat chicken and they cannot afford the locally produced ones, that is why they go for imported chicken.

“Because they want to eat chicken. Indirectly, they are eating what is going to kill them. They say that since it is not killing people like Ebola, they think that it doesn’t matter. But I don’t eat it. Even if I go to party I don’t eat it.”

So, he said, if the government can make or assist the local farmers so that the farmers will be able to produce at competitive price, many Nigerians will go for locally produced chicken.

“Nigerians love good things; they will want to go for something that is safe despite that it is a little bit costly than the one that is dangerous for their health.”

He is worried that it may be difficult for the government to stop the smugglers from bringing in frozen chicken into the country because of the porous borders.