Dutse, May 9 — The Poultry Farmers Association of Nigeria has raised an alarm over plummeting egg sales, citing rising production costs and worsening economic conditions that have eroded consumers’ purchasing power.
The Jigawa State chapter of the association, led by Mr. Hussaini Gumel, made the appeal during a courtesy visit to Governor Umar Namadi at the Government House in Dutse on Thursday evening. The association called for urgent government intervention to save the industry from collapse.
“Since the removal of fuel subsidy, our industry has been hit hard. Many Nigerians can no longer afford eggs, and our sales have plummeted,” Gumel said. He attributed the drop in demand to rising economic hardship and escalating costs of production, including poultry feed and essential farming inputs.
Gumel expressed concern over price disparities in poultry feed across regions, noting that feed is considerably cheaper in Jos, Plateau State, than in Jigawa and other northern states. This, he said, is undermining the profitability of local poultry farmers.
“There’s no market for our products, and the lack of money in circulation among the population is alarming,” Gumel added, warning that many poultry businesses are on the brink of shutting down.
The association also highlighted infrastructure deficits, including the lack of refrigeration and cooling equipment, which make it difficult to preserve eggs and chicken products in Nigeria’s hot climate. “We are appealing for government intervention to prevent losses due to spoilage,” Gumel urged.
He also called for training and capacity-building initiatives, particularly for women engaged in poultry farming, and proposed including eggs in the national school feeding programme to create a stable demand for their products.
“To save the poultry sector, the government must include eggs in the school feeding scheme. It would provide a steady market and support economic activity,” he said.
Governor Namadi, in his response, acknowledged the importance of the poultry industry to the state’s economy and assured the farmers of his administration’s support. “Your industry provides employment and income for many residents, and we must support its growth,” the governor said.
Namadi pledged to work with the association to find sustainable solutions to the challenges facing the sector. “We’ll look into the feed scarcity issue and explore ways to make it more affordable,” he added.
He also expressed interest in potential public-private partnerships and assured the farmers of training and empowerment programs, especially for women in the sector.
The egg producers’ plea comes as Nigeria grapples with the economic aftershocks of the 2023 fuel subsidy removal, which has triggered soaring prices and deepened financial pressure on citizens and businesses alike.