The National President of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) and Chairman, Sunchi Integrated Farms Limited, Sunday Ezeobiora, has blamed unchecked activities of smugglers and neglect by the government at all levels for the current output drop of the local poultry industry.
Ezeobiora said local poultry farmers currently have a total of 80 million layers and produce an average of 60 million eggs daily, which he said, is enough to take care of the country’s egg and meat demand.
He described the ‘story’ being circulated that the industry only meets 30 per cent of the country’s meat and eggs demand as false, saying that not only are they meeting local demands, but they also can export.
He added that the two biggest obstacles they are being faced with currently are smugglers and the unfriendly business environment. He regretted that despite their numerous efforts at calling the government’s attention to the unwholesome activities of the smugglers, their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
“Smuggling of frozen chicken is killing our local poultry industry and a few are getting rich to the detriment of the rest of us. The smugglers were the ones that started the lie about us not having the capacity to meet demand but that is what it is- a lie, as we can feed the nation comfortably. We have been begging the government to tighten security at the borders and stop the smugglers from bringing in these items but they have refused to listen to us.”
He regretted that the smugglers had flooded the markets with their goods, adding that it was the job of the government to stop them and save the industry from collapsing.
“This industry employs not less than 20 million Nigerians, directly or indirectly, in one way or another and the more we allow these smuggled goods in, the more people that are being thrown out of employment,” he said.
