The poultry industry in Ghana is experiencing severe distress due to significant hikes in the cost of production inputs.
According to Joseph Boakye Yiadom, a poultry farmer, the price of essential feed ingredients like maize and soybeans has surged dramatically since the beginning of the year.
“Maize, which started the year selling between 150-200 cedis per 50 kilos, is now priced between 250 and 270 cedis. Similarly, soybeans have increased from around 410-420 cedis to about 520-530 cedis,” Yiadom explained.
These drastic increases in feed costs have compelled poultry farmers to raise the price of eggs at farm gates to between 55 and 65 cedis.
Consequently, consumers should expect to pay between 70 and 75 cedis from retailers in the coming months.
He highlighted that the industry has been struggling for the past two years, with approximately 60 percent of commercial poultry farms collapsing due to the high cost of feed and inefficiencies in poultry management.
“The high cost of feed and inefficiencies in management are driving many farms out of business. If you are not well-capitalized, you can’t continue because you will run at a loss,” he emphasized.
He stressed the urgent need for a comprehensive revamp of the industry, particularly for egg production poultry farms, to prevent further collapses and ensure sustainability.
As the situation continues to worsen, stakeholders in the industry are calling for government intervention and support to mitigate the impact of rising production costs and revitalize the struggling poultry sector.
