Poultry farmer urges government to act on challenges facing livestock industry

Following the recent press conference organized by the Poultry Farmers Association of Ghana which highlighted, among other things, the challenges faced by members, the increase in product prices and the avian flu epidemic in industry and how to solve it to sustain the business, a renowned poultry company farmer, Mr. Thomas Adom added his voice to the call on the need for the government to intervene before all poultry farms of the country does not collapse.

Speaking to the ModernGhana News correspondent in an exclusive interview, Mr Thomas Adom, Managing Director of Bossway Farms Company Ltd, reiterated that for a very long time the development of the poultry sector has been neglected by the government.

Mr. Adom specifically mentioned poultry feed as the main challenges crippling their businesses. He added that apart from the scarcity of animal feed, the prices of poultry feed are high.

He said that from last year until now, feed for poultry farms has increased by more than 100%.

However, he called on the Minister of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to mobilize to put in place measures to restructure the poultry industry after a total collapse, because the sector contributes positively to national development.

Addressing the bird flu epidemic, Mr. Adom stressed that governments around the world are compensating affected farmers to support businesses.

In the case of Ghana, he suggested that not all previous governments support them in times of crisis.

Another poultry farmer in Ejisu, Nana Osei Bonsu, expressed disappointment with the Minister of Food and Agriculture for his inability to restructure the poultry farm industry.

Nana Bonsu explained that the cost of poultry feed is very high and difficult to obtain, a situation which he believes is undermining their business.

According to him, bags of maize would be smuggled into neighboring Burkina Faso at a low price and Burkinabè nationals in return would resell the same maize to Ghanaians at a high price.

Mr Bonsu urged authorities, especially politicians, to avoid politics in national affairs and build an economy that will support businesses.