Some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have decried the high cost of poultry produce, calling for the government’s urgent intervention.
The residents, in separate interviews on Monday in Abuja, said this had affected the consumption of the produce in many homes.
They said that the high cost of the poultry produce would deprive Nigerians of getting the health benefits of the produce.
The residents noted that the high cost of the product had resulted in augmenting it with other proteins, such as fish, goat and cow meats, which were not cheaper either.
A civil servant, Mrs Veronica Adejoh said that she found it difficult to rule out the consumption of eggs, especially for her growing children because of their nutritional value.
“I used to buy a crate or half a crate of eggs when it was just N1,000 or N2,000, but since it increased to over N4,000, I started buying in bits.
“Sometimes, I buy 10 pieces or even less, depending on the money available. I still see it as a nutritional value to my children’s diet and so, I will not stop buying it.
“I might not put meat in their food every day but they still take one egg each to school, at least, twice a week. It’s essential for growing children,’’ she said.
Adejoh said that she ensured to add lots of vegetables like spinach, carrots or lettuce in their food to also augment some of the proteins.
A businesswoman, Mrs Chioma Okpara said that as an adult, she could do without egg but for children, they needed the product for proper growth.
“I try to ensure that my children take egg once a week because of its important to health,” she said.
Okpara said that initially, she used to give her children eggs four times a week but with the high cost of N5,400 to N6,000, she had reduced their egg and chicken intake.
“As for chicken, I augment it with goat meat since it has become almost unaffordable for the common man.
“I still get a kilo of goat meat for N6,500, but the smallest home-grown chicken you can get now is between N8,000 and N12,000,” she said.
A poultry farmer, Mr Abubakar Sadiq, said the high cost of a day-old chick and feed had contributed to the cost of chicken and egg, with the prices soaring daily.
According to him, a 25kg bag of Ultimate Superstarter now goes for N23,900, as against the N15,000 it used to sell, adding that the prices of chicken feeds increase almost every day.
“We farmers are not finding it easy; most times, we sell at a loss; customers are always complaining that eggs are expensive; the reason is because of the feeds.
“If you don’t feed these birds well, they will not lay eggs the way they are supposed to; we too are not happy with the way things have turned out to be in the country.
“This business is no longer lucrative the way it used to be; with the high cost of feeds, you will not expect anything short of what we are selling the eggs,” he said.
Sadiq appealed to the government to look into the plight of poultry farmers and proffer solutions to the constant increase in the prices of feeds.
Also, an egg seller, Mrs Beatrice Alfa, said her business had recorded low patronage as a result of a constant increase in the price of eggs.
Alfa said that most of her customers, especially bakers who usually buy up to 20 crates of eggs daily, no longer buy such quantities.
She said that most times, she would end up selling between five and 10 crates in a day, as against the initial 50.
“People no longer buy in large quantities like before; most of them prefer to buy five pieces for N1,000 instead of buying a crate because of the high cost.
“Most times, eggs are not even available and if available, you will find out that the sizes are small. I know people are still buying it because of the health benefits, especially for children.
“If the prices of feeds continue to increase, farmers will not have no choice than to continue increasing the price of the product.
“A crate of sizeable egg now goes for between N5,600 and N6,000 while a crate of small size goes for N5,400. Most times I come to the market and end up selling nothing,” she said.
Alfa appealed to government to assist farmers with incentives that would reduce the cost of feeds and other poultry materials.
NAN
