By Jimoh Babatunde
Nigeria poultry industry might go under as the industry is being threatened by smuggled chickens from neighbouring country. Just as the cost of grains have been attributed to the rising cost of poultry products.

Dr. Femi Faniyi, President Poultry Association of Nigeria, Ogun State chapter, made this disclosure in a chat with journalists in Abeokuta on preparation for this year’s annual poultry  forum and exhibition billed for next week.

Dr. Faniyi said that many of his constituents had gone into poultry production in recent years, so he was well aware of the problem. “It is of particular importance that they do not face unfair competition from other countries that do not comply with the regulations,” he said.

Most of the poultry products that find their ways through the country’s boarders pose health hazards to consumers, “the condition which these products are brought in calls for concern as most of them are hidden in petrol tankers. The business is done in open at Idi-Iroko and Seme boarders among others.”

He said if the government wants to boost poultry industry that they should take special interest in the inputs like fertilizers for grains growers, he explained that with adulterated fertilizers, maize and soya which are basic ingredients of the feeds for poultry will not be available.

“Right now, the cost of a tonne of maize is about N50000 and Soya about N70000.  Feed is 60% of the cost of our production. We need encouragement to keep us in business.”

Dr. Faniyi noted that poultry business is one business that can help in alleviating poverty in the country and it is one business that can be relied on for the economic values by big time farmers and small holder farmers in the country.

Speaking on funding, he said the interest rate being charged by banks for farmers are outrageous as farmers cannot be made to pay the same interest rate like traders, “even the commercial agriculture loan should be 5% as we cannot borrow at the current 9%.”

On the theme of this year’s celebration, Dr. Faniyi disclosed that ‘Human Nutrition Security- Egg Option’ has been chosen to draw attention to the nutritious value of egg to the society.

Dr. Faniyi said the aim is to disabuse the minds of the people about the negative idea that egg consumption causes heart problems
The world over, the lack of evidence to link regular consumption of eggs with heart disease has changed perceptions on egg consumption.

Now, he stated, “the American Heart Association said there is no longer specific recommendation on the number of eggs yokes a person may consume per week and Health Canada made the decision that there was no daily value for a cholesterol intake on their nutrition table.

In fact, eggs in Canada carry the health check mark of Canada Heart and Stroke Foundation as a health food. In Australia, just about six months ago, the Australian Heart Foundation came out and said all Australians, including those with diabetes and those with metabolic syndrome who follow a healthy balanced diet, could eat up to six eggs each week without these increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease.”

Based on these facts, he said Prof. Gbenga Olumeyela has been invited to deliver a paper on the topic and that they have also invited students and the elders too, to know that egg contains valuable vitamins and that apart from breast feeding there is nothing like egg nutrient.

For the exhibition, Dr. Faniyi noted that more than 42 companies and invited guests from all over the world have indicated interest to participate