Lagos poultry farmers seek egg powder factory to cut losses

Poultry farmers in Lagos State are urging the Lagos State Government to expedite the construction of an egg powder factory to reduce losses from unsold eggs. This plea emerged during the annual summit of the Poultry Association of Nigeria Lagos State Chapter, held recently in Alausa. The association also conducted training sessions for farmers to adopt modern technology and boost productivity and profitability.

During the event, Mojeed Iyiola, the Chairman of PAN Lagos, highlighted that poor sales are a significant challenge for poultry farmers, leading to the disposal of hundreds of eggs daily, resulting in millions of naira in losses. He noted that although the Lagos State Government is aiding in the building of an egg powder factory, its construction is yet to commence.

The Lagos State Government has been supporting poultry farmers, particularly in establishing a processing facility to preserve excess egg production and mitigate waste. The summit, themed "Flocking to Growth: Transforming Nigeria’s Poultry Industry with Innovation and Investment," aimed to expose farmers to global best practices and technological innovations to enhance efficiency.

The association, through its training programmes, aims to equip farmers with contemporary knowledge and techniques. A professor of agricultural biochemistry and animal nutrition at the University of Ibadan, Olugbenga Ogunwole, emphasized the need for poultry farmers to adopt modern feeding practices to fully utilize the genetic potential of improved breeds.

He stressed that the use of outdated practices and low-quality feed hinders the industry's growth. Olushola Egbota, the Director of Extension Services at the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, encouraged farmers to utilize the ministry's extension services for advice on improving their farms instead of relying solely on government interventions.