Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), South West zone has raised alarm over the plight of members, stating that the Naira redesigning recently introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has untold hardship on them and the investments on their farms.
The Association expressed worries over the loss of members saying they needed urgent intervention from the Federal Government and other critical stakeholders.
They stated this in a press conference organized by PAN in the South West zone held on Thursday in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.
PAN Chairman in the South West, Reverend Gideon Oluleye, while addressing journalists said various policies of the FG and the CBN have affected members of the association negatively.
Oluleye, flanked by members of the association lamented that policies such as Naira redesign and the increment in interest rate have greatly affected the industry negatively.
He noted that it is imperative to make the Federal and State Governments, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Authority of DAWN commission and the whole world know about the crisis the poultry farmers in the South West and the entire country are facing due to the financial crisis brought about by the FG’s policies of naira redesign.
Oluleye appealed to the FG to support the association with bailout funds, subsidies and other financial supports.
He advised the FG to re-introduce the school feeding programme so as to absolve some of the eggs and chicken meat from the farmers.
Oluleye added that there should be intervention by subsidizing major farm inputs, particularly, maize and soya.
He further explained that doing so will help in ameliorating the negative impacts of the Naira redesign policy of the government on the farmers.
Oluleye said, “We the farmers are not against this policy, but its timing and implementation strategy has brought untold hardship on farmers. We want to let the Government know that losses incurred by farmers are heavy and crushing. A lot of farms have collapsed, others are running at half capacity while many others will soon close down, if the government does not come to the aid of poultry farmers. Let me remind you that the negative impact that Covid’19 had on farmers and farms is yet to abate. Hardly had farmers recover from this, when the C.B.N brought another hardship on the farmers through the policy of naira redesign. As we speak now between 15 – 20million crates of eggs are in the economy looking for buyers.
“In order to save the poultry subsector of the economy, generating about 6% of the GDP from total collapse, the Federal and State Governments, the Central Bank of Nigeria and all other agencies of government concerned, must rise up and intervene in this subsector of the economy. The intervention should come in the following areas;
“Mopping up of about 15 – 20 million crates of eggs and chicken unsold in the economy right now to ameliorate the losses of the farmers. These products should be used in feeding the people in IDP camps and all our correctional centres all over the country. Some could also be used in government hospitals where meals are served as eggs helps in quick recovery and in building up the immunity of sick patients.
“We also want the Federal Government, as a matter of urgency to resuscitate the school feeding programme, with eggs and chicken meat forming the major component of the programme. This will go a long way in absolving some of the eggs and chicken meat from the farmers.
“We are also pleading with the Federal, States and the Central Bank of Nigeria to intervene now in subsidizing major imputes particularly maize and soya much more than they have been doing before. This will also help in ameliorating the negative impact of the naira redesign policy of the government on the farmers.
“A lot of farmers are running on loan and as a result of this crisis, they could not meet their loan obligation any more. We want the CBN and the Federal Government to help in defraying part of the loan and in some cases outright cancellation of the loan. This will enable farmers to recover and save the sector from collapsing.
“As an emergency measure, let the federal government constitute a committee that will begin the process of mopping up all unsold eggs and chicken meat due to naira redesign policies as these eggs are already going bad. A situation where a single farmer has a hundred thousand crates of eggs unsold in the farm now, the value of which is over two hundred million. Mopping up these eggs and chicken meat now will be a good measure in preventing the sector from imminent collapse”.
