Poultry farmers in Nigeria have raised the alarm over a sharp decline in egg sales, attributing the downturn to economic hardship and dwindling purchasing power among citizens.
According to the farmers, egg sales have dropped significantly since the removal of fuel subsidy, lamenting that prices of poultry feeds have also gone up and are impacting on egg production.
The Jigawa State Chairman of the Poultry Farmers Association of Nigeria, Hussaini Gumel, raised the concern during a courtesy visit to Governor Umar Namadi at the Government House in Dutse, Thursday evening.
“Since the removal of fuel subsidy in 2023, our industry has been hit hard. Many Nigerians can no longer afford eggs, and our sales have plummeted
“The current economic situation has further exacerbated the challenges, with many Nigerians struggling to afford chicken and eggs due to limited financial resources. There’s no market for our products, and the lack of sufficient money in circulation among people is alarming.”
He explained that beyond low consumer demand, the industry was grappling with soaring production costs, especially the price of poultry feed.
The chairman said farmers were also facing infrastructure challenges, particularly a lack of refrigeration and cooling systems needed to preserve perishable products in Nigeria’s hot climate.
Gumel appealed to the government to intervene in poultry farm and prevent product losses.
To stimulate demand and provide a stable market for their products, the association urged the government to incorporate eggs into school feeding programmes, saying “This would boost consumption and save poultry businesses from total collapse.”
In response, Governor Namadi acknowledged the vital role poultry farming played in job creation and food security, assuring the farmers of his administration’s commitment to addressing their challenges.
