STMA- Poultry Industry on Time Bomb, Farmers accuse Takoradi Flour Mills of selective supply of Wheat Bran
The Vice President of Poultry Farmers Association of Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, Mr. Francis Nsia has accused Takoradi Flour Mills of refusing to supply wheat bran to local poultry farmers who are in dire need of poultry feeds due to the willingness of foreigners to pay higher prices beyond the standard factory price.
According to him, though the local poultry farmers are willing to buy at the current factory price of GH¢ 22 per 25kg, they are not getting supply of the products, instead few shops who have access to the products are selling it at exorbitant prices while “some Ivorians are even getting access to the products”.
It will be recalled that the supply of maize which supports local manufacturing of poultry feeds begun to decline from November 2020 forcing prices up which ultimately led to an increase in the cost of production for the local poultry Farmers. For example “50kg of a bag of maize which used to sell at GH¢ 96 last year, is currently selling at GH¢ 135 per the same bag yet there is still a shortage in supply of the products’’.
Venting his frustrations on current challenges faced by members of the association on Adzekye Mu Nsem on Spice Fm 91.9, Mr. Francis Nsia called on all stakeholders to work towards ensuring that local farmers are given priority by the Takoradi Flour mills since they are also willing to buy at factory price of GH¢ 22 per 25kg.
“We are willing to buy the product at the price set out by the factory which is currently GH¢ 22 per 25Kg yet we are not getting supply. Instead few shops capitalize on the artificial shortage to cash out”
He cautioned that if no immediate intervention is made to save the situation at hand, many farms in the metropolis risk collapsing.
“The poultry industry is currently on time bomb, we need swift intervention to save the situation, corn price is up, locally produced wheat brown by Takoradi Flour Mills is in short supply as well as the various foreign feeds we normally rely on. At worse, we should be able to get wheat brown since the factory is located in our catchment area. Every side effect from their production affects us either directly or indirectly and we can’t be ignored . The leaders must intervene, we are suffering, we are ready to pay the standard factory price”
Ghana’s Poultry industry is currently faced with the outbreak of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) which has currently affected a few farms in Accra Volta and Central Regions.
Meanwhile the Western Regional Director of Veterinary Service, Dr. Simon Gbene has confirmed that no case of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) has been recorded in the region yet after monitoring and testing of some samples in the laboratory.
Poultry Farmer Association, STMA is also expected to hold an emergency meeting on Thursday 22, July 2021 to deliberate on the emergence of the “Bird Flue” condition in some parts of the country to find the best possible way to prevent it or mitigate its impact in case it finds its way into their geographical location.
So far, a total of 5,811 birds have died naturally on affected farms while 4,500 birds were also destroyed in some farms in Greater Accra, Central, and Volta to curtail the spread according to the Director of the Veterinary Services Directorate, Dr. Patrick Abakeh.
Story By Kwame Offei
