- The Poultry Association of Nigeria warns that egg prices may rise to N10,000 per crate without immediate government intervention to support farmers
- Rising transportation and feed costs, along with inflation, are driving the potential price hike, further impacting protein consumption among Nigerians
The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has raised concerns that the price of a crate of eggs, currently between N5,500 and N6,000, may rise to N10,000 if immediate action is not taken.
Nigeria is grappling with severe inflation, increasing the cost of many goods. The spike in fuel prices and the scarcity of foreign exchange are two major contributors to this crisis.
During a press conference in Abuja to mark World Egg Day, Musa Hakeem, Secretary of PAN in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), urged the government to declare a state of emergency in the egg production sector.
He warned that without swift intervention, the price increase would be inevitable, further reducing Nigerians’ already low protein consumption.
Hakeem explained that rising transportation costs, the removal of fuel subsidies, and soaring feed prices are the primary reasons behind the impending price hike. “Production costs have gone up significantly, and while we’ve tried to maintain prices at N5,500 for consumers, the situation may soon force it up to N10,000,” he said.
He also expressed disappointment over the lack of substantial government support, pointing out that poultry farmers last received grain assistance three years ago.
Hakeem called for closer collaboration between the government and poultry farmers, emphasizing that PAN has comprehensive data on farmers that could help implement more targeted support measures.
In addition, agro-dealer Jude Arikogu raised concerns about the quality and weight of poultry feed. He noted that some feed bags, labelled as 25kg, often weigh less, adding to the financial burden on farmers already struggling with rising costs.