By Mercy Omoike
Lagos, Jan. 18, 2019 (NAN) Mr Micheal Aleagbu, a poultry farmer has called for the regulation of poultry product prices to encourage more Nigerians to invest in the industry.
Aleagbu made this call while speaking on the viability of the poultry industry in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.
He said that the foremost challenge facing the Nigerian poultry industry was the price of poultry produce which he claimed was unfavourable to the local farmer.
“The major problem faced by the Nigerian poultry industry is regulation. We do not have adequate regulation for the prices of poultry products.
“Prices of feeds and other poultry accessories keep changing every day at the expense of the farmer but the prices of eggs remain fixed.
“We have inadequate poultry farming associations in the country that are not working in tandem with the local farmers or for their benefits.
“Most local farmers are not able to breakeven based on the various challenges they face in the business like bird mortality, diseases and infection, payment of staff etc.
“If the prices of poultry products can be evenly regulated more Nigerians will delve into the business,” he told NAN.
Aleagbu however advised intending poultry farmers to understudy the business and do a proper feasibility before going into it.
“Firstly, poultry business is not what you start and expect to break even immediately. Starting a viable poultry business in Nigeria is capital intensive.
“This is not to discourage upcoming poultry business investor but we need to know that it is capital intensive as well as time consuming.
“You need to do a proper feasibility study before embarking on it and having honest staff is an added benefit to the business.
“Poultry business requires thoroughness and anyone that must go into the business must undergo thorough internship to be able to successfully run a lucrative poultry business.
“An intending poultry farmer must learn the basics before embarking on the business.
“After learning the basics, the intending poultry farmer can now apply for loans based on the experience they have garnered from the basic training,”Aleagbu said.
On profitability of the business, the expert counselled young poultry farmers to be patient before they begin enjoying the benefits of their investments.
“There is expected time duration before an upcoming farmer will begin enjoying the accrued benefits from the business venture.
“If the farmer starts acquiring birds at the point of lay it takes a duration 3 to 4 weeks before the birds start laying.
“Before the birds start laying eggs, the farmers spend a lot on their feeds and when it begins laying, the eggs are small. A crate can go for about N500 per crate.
“However when the eggs start increasing after 16 weeks, the farmer begins to enjoy the benefits of his investments,” the expert said. (NAN)
