The Poultry Association of Nigeria, Lagos state Chapter, has offered an assurance to residents regarding a potential drop in the price of poultry produce.

This anticipated reduction follows the intervention of the Lagos State Government’s ‘Ounje Eko’ phase 2 farmers subsidy programme.

Mr. Foluso Adams, who serves as the PAN Vice President and Chairman of the Aiyedoto Poultry Farmers Settlement, made this statement during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Monday.

NAN had previously reported that the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems announced the commencement of Phase II of the Ounje Eko recently, with the goal of cutting down food prices leading up to the yuletide season.

Adams noted that the subsidy would significantly assist local farmers and consequently trigger a decrease in the cost of poultry produce.

He stated: “The Ounje Eko Farmers’ Subsidy Programme will definitely go a long way to cut down the price of poultry produce during the yuletide. We expect to drop the price of crates of eggs from N5,500 and N6,000 to about N5,100 and N5,300. The intervention will help because with the discount they have given us, the poultry farmers have even sat down to reduce the price.”

The PAN Vice President, however, pointed out that not all farmers would be able to benefit from the intervention due to the specific brand of feed being distributed. He explained: “However, the thing is, it is only Animal Care brand that they are offering and some farmers use some other brands of feed.”

Adams further mentioned the steps being taken to ensure the benefit is passed on to consumers. “We have already told our members to benefit from the subsidy that they are going to contribute back to society by reducing the price. There is even a letter to that effect. We will have a meeting later at Alausa and we have told the government we have reduced the price so that people can see the impact of what the government has done.” He added that the materials were expected soon: “The materials will start arriving on Wednesday and from our settlement, we have 50 farmers as beneficiaries.”

He also observed a positive ripple effect from the government’s action: “With this intervention other feed processors are also bringing down the price of their commodities, so that they will not lose their customers. They processors don’t want to go out of the market as that is their source of income and livelihood.”

According to Adams, the price reduction is also anticipated to affect chicken sales during the new Yuletide season. He said: “The price reduction will also affect the sales of chicken during the new Yuletide season. We expect the prices of chicken to drop also, but discussions are still ongoing as regards that.” He concluded with a call for wider adoption of the policy: “If other states tap into what Lagos State Government is doing, the price of poultry produce will drastically come down during the yuletide season.”