, Abia State, has raised the alarm over what it describes as an unprecedented crisis in the poultry value){kind=link}
By: Abdullahi Inuwa
The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Abia State, has raised the alarm over what it describes as an unprecedented crisis in the poultry value chain following a sharp and unexplained hike in the cost of Day-Old Chicks (DOCs).
According to the State Chairman, Chris Obasi, prices have skyrocketed from between ₦500 and ₦690 earlier in the year to as high as ₦1,870 per chick — excluding transportation and mortality risks borne solely by farmers.
“This outrageous price hike, done without notice or consultation, is pushing our members — especially smallholder and medium-scale farmers — out of business. The situation, if unchecked, will collapse farms, drive up chicken prices, worsen food inflation, and increase dependence on frozen poultry imports,” Obasi warned.
The association notes that transportation costs, aggravated by bad roads and insecurity, are compounding the hardship, while the absence of insurance or risk-sharing mechanisms leaves farmers vulnerable to massive losses.
Calling the development a national emergency, Obasi urged the National Executive Council (NEC) of PAN to rise as one voice and urgently engage hatchery operators for fair and transparent pricing.
He also recommended the formation of a special committee to design regulatory safeguards, alongside farmer-support initiatives such as collective transportation systems, mortality insurance, and access to risk-sharing platforms.
“This is nothing short of a crisis. We cannot allow the backbone of our industry — our farmers — to be crippled by unchecked profiteering. Great farmers, great nation! No farmer, no nation!” he declared.
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