The Poultry Farmers Association of Ghana has called on government to put in the necessary measures to boost local poultry production as it restricts imported poultry.
According to the association, government must do more by equipping local poultry farmers to meet the demand for poultry.
The Ministry of Agriculture recently announced that it has restricted the importation of frozen poultry products into the country. Poultry farmers have on several occasions lamented the effect of the high import of poultry into the country as one of the many hindrances to the growth of their industry.
Speaking to Citi Business News on the matter, Vice President of the Local Poultry Farmers Association, Mr. Napoleon Agyemang Oduro said in order for the local poultry industry to be sustained, government must do more than restricting the import of poultry products.
“I will first want to see what measures we have put in place to enhance production and productivity in the country and then we can talk of the restriction, otherwise it will just be an economic disgrace to say we have started restriction when our poultry farmers cannot produce to fill the gap,” he said.
Mr. Oduro explained that poultry farmers need support from government to enable them gradually fill in the gap that will come along with the restriction.
“There is the need to do something at every stage of the value chain. So if we are talking about restriction it’s good but we will also have to supply what it takes to produce and fill the gap”.
He added, “It is important we position ourselves in terms of activity to be able to fill the gap , we have the hatcheries, the seed millers, the , the processing materials and the poultry farmers , so all we want is government support and guidance to help us fill in the gap”.
–
By: Anita Arthur/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana