There is potential in poultry industry

Poultry products form a major part of the menu in households in Ghana, either frequently or occasionally. Poultry is also a delicacy around the world, as it constitutes a major part of menus for families and individuals.

The poultry industry contributes immensely to the Gross Domestic Product of many countries, as it provides high revenue from exports. It is also a vital source of livelihood, food and nutrients such as protein. The projection, therefore, is that the demand for poultry will continue to grow around the world.

For instance, the United Nations (UN) estimates a global population growth rate of 34 per cent that will increase the world’s population to 9.1 billion by 2050, a figure that is expected to correspondingly increase meat consumption globally.

In Ghana, data shows that in 2017, over 135,000 tonnes of frozen chicken, which translates into about 112 million birds, was imported from the European Union. The figure was a 76 per cent increase over what was imported in 2016.

It is also worthy of note that there is an annual increase in chicken consumption of about six per cent in the country. It is evident, therefore, that poultry imports have surged in recent years because supply has not kept pace with the national demand of about 175,000 tonnes per annum.

It is for this reason that Ghana should look at implementing policies that will help it increase poultry production in the country. The Daily Graphic is aware of policies to increase livestock production over the next few years with the introduction of the Rearing for Food and Jobs initiative, which is aimed at developing a competitive and more efficient livestock industry.

The initiative is also envisaged to increase domestic production, reduce the importation of livestock products, contribute to employment creation and improve the livelihoods of livestock value chain actors. We believe this is the way to go if Ghana is to reduce its import bill and set itself on the path to economic recovery.

At a conference on sustainable agriculture in Accra yesterday, the Minister of Agriculture announced that the government had set an ambitious target to invest in the poultry component of the Rearing for Food and Jobs initiative as a major means to stop the importation of chicken into the country.

We laud the government for such laudable initiatives, but advise that the right infrastructure should be put in place, as well as the proper monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, to ensure resounding success of the programme.

Indeed, we cannot, as a country, continue to use our scarce resources to import $380 million worth of poultry every year when we have the capacity to produce to feed the local market and export the surplus.

The poultry industry really has a huge potential for the country’s economic.
We implore the Ministry of Agriculture to take a critical look at poultry feed and ensure that the cost is affordable to make the initiative successful.

Quality inputs such as feed and day-old chicks must also be made available to farmers to ensure that we have fewer diseases and less mortality to enhance the production of meat and eggs.

The Agriculture and Trade ministries, Parliament and other such bodies should also have a look at unfriendly economic policies that are not helping the poultry industry to grow to be competitive, so that the good initiatives that have been started and those yet to be introduced will not suffocate under unbridled competition that has succeeded in killing many local industries over the years.