Arzikin Noma Africa has urged governments at all levels and the private sector to invest in day-old chick production to boost poultry supply and reduce prices.

The Group Managing Director of the organisation, Adeoluwa Adeshola, made the call during an interview on Thursday in Abuja.

Arzikin Noma Africa is an agricultural and value-chain development company focused on transforming food systems, improving farm productivity and empowering smallholder farmers across Africa.

Mr Adeshola said the rising cost of day-old chicks was detrimental to poultry sector growth, attributing the shortage to limited mother stock production capacity.

“There is a lot of monopoly when it comes to the mother stock. Only a few companies have the capacity to produce it, so demand is more than supply.

“I call on government and the private sector to invest actively in the production of day-old chicks to break the monopoly,” he said.

Day-old chicks currently sell for between N1,800 and N2,100, up from N1,300 to N1,500 two to three months ago.

Some farmers alleged that hatcheries were raising prices to frustrate smallholder farmers, while others attributed the increase to demand and supply dynamics and seasonal factors.

One of them, Rose Ibe, said the price hike had become a recurring challenge, especially ahead of the festive season.

“There is always an exorbitant hike when we approach December, the peak of chicken sales,” she said.

Also, Andrew Tersor, said the high cost forced him to reduce his usual stock of 150 to 200 birds by half.

He urged the federal and state governments to collaborate in establishing hatcheries across the six geopolitical zones to improve access and reduce prices.

He stated, “We believe if day-old chicks are produced very close to our zone, we can easily access them and the price will reduce drastically.” 

(NAN)