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By Iddi Yire, GNA
Accra, March 22, GNA – Maize production plays a key role
crucial role in the growth of Ghana's poultry industry, Mr. Victor Oppong Adjei,
President of the Ghana Poultry Producers Association (GNAPF),
I said.
He said that corn plays a fundamental role in the
socio-economic development of the nation as it served as raw material for poultry
production and as food for humans; declaring that; "It is therefore,
needed to increase corn production because of other aspects of the value chain
derive great benefits ".
According to a study on the feeding of poultry
in Ghana by the International Food Policy Research Institute, maize
60% of poultry feed, availability and price
important implications for the profitability and growth potential of animal feed.
Remarks at the two-day workshop on the maize value chain
At the University of Ghana, Oppong Adjei said that low corn production in
badociated with post-harvest losses have a negative impact on poultry
industry.
The workshop nicknamed "private-public
Partnership for the sustainable intensification of maize production with a view to
Value Chain of Cultures ", organized by the West African Agricultural Center.
Improvement (WACCI) of the University of Ghana.
More than 70 participants attended.
academics, researchers, government and non-government organizations
farmers, farmer groups, vendors and
agricultural products and equipment.
The main issues to be discussed include maize
production, processing, transport, storage and marketing.
Oppong Adjei said: "The importance of maize
for the poultry industry can not be overestimated. It's a dependent ingredient
because of the good source of energy, digestibility and immediate availability. "
He cited that all 8,000 layers consume a
tonnes of food per day (125 g per bird), the maize component per tonne is 550 kg or 55 per
hundred of the entries.
"If 10 million birds are probably in
country, a corn component of 250 000 metric tonnes would be required each
year. In the case of the broiler, 4 kg of food is consumed to acquire a live weight
between 1.8 / 2.0 kg at 6 weeks and maize constitutes 68% of the
to feed, "he explained.
"A demand for 5.5 million tonnes of maize
awaits corn producers if special attention is given to poultry
industry for economic engine. Corn is therefore essential for our industry. "
Oppong Adjei said that factors such as the weak
yields from old farming methods used in maize production have also been
hinder the growth of the poultry industry in the country.
"We have to introduce modern technology into
improve yields at the hectare, which will save a maximum of two metric tons
per hectare as in some countries. "
He said that aside from rainfed agriculture, there was
the need to promote irrigation agriculture in order to increase maize production
in the countryside.
Oppong Adjei cited the unstable prices of
corn, buying corn through middlemen or corn merchants who are turning to sell
exorbitant prices and the impossibility for poultry farmers to have access to a loan facility.
buy large quantities during the main season as some of the challenges
corn producers face.
GNA
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