Some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have decried the high cost of poultry produce, calling for the government’s urgent intervention.

In separate interviews with journalists on Monday in Abuja, the residents said this had affected the consumption of the produce in many homes.

They said the high cost of poultry produce would deprive Nigerians of health benefits from 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.

Veronica Adejoh, a civil servant, said she found it difficult to rule out egg consumption, 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,’’ she said.

Ms Adejoh said she ensured that lots of vegetables like spinach, carrots, or lettuce were added to their food to augment some of the proteins.

Chioma Okpara, a businesswoman, said that as an adult, she could do without eggs, but children needed the product for proper growth.

Ms Okpara said that initially, she used to give her children eggs four times a week, but with the cost now ranging from N5,400 to N6,000, she 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.

Abubakar Sadiq, a poultry farmer, said the high cost of a day-old chick and feed had contributed to the cost of chicken and eggs, with the prices soaring daily.

According to him, a 25kg bag of Ultimate Super starter 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.

“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.

Mr 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, Beatrice Alfa, an egg seller, said her business had recorded low patronage due to the constant increase in the prices.

Ms Alfa said most of her customers, especially bakers who usually buy up to 20 crates of eggs daily, no longer buy such a quantity again.

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.

“A crate of sizeable eggs 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.

Ms Alfa appealed to the government to assist farmers with incentives to reduce feed and other poultry materials costs.

(NAN)