25 Feb 2018

Chief scientific officer, non-ruminants, in the Ministry of Agriculture Development and Food Security, Mr Thomas Tadubana says the poultry industry is progressing well despite challenges.

He cited a Ministry of Agriculture Development and Food Security performance review report of 2016/17 that “national poultry production has grown relatively well to a point where the nation has achieved self-sufficiency.”

Speaking at the official opening of training of poultry farmers businesspersons at Copel Rancho Chicken Abattoir, Mr Tudubana observed that despite achieving self-sufficiency in poultry production, there was a decline of 49 per cent in 2016/17 against the previous 2015/16 season. According to statistics, the total broiler production stood at approximately 25 953 tonnes at the end of 2016/17 as opposed to 29 234 tonnes achieved in 2015/16.

The decline, said Mr Tudubana, was due to the collapse of about 49 small scale projects in 2016/17. However, he noted that the major contributors, (20 762.4 tonnes) were large scale projects whilst small scale businesses contributed 5 190.6  tonnes or 20 per cent of the 2016/17 production. “The former scenario (80:20) has seen the big farmers swallowing the would-be market for small poultry farmers in the form of chain stores because of their consistency in production,” said Mr Tadubana.

Consequently, he challenged small scale poultry farmers to team up and hatch concerted efforts to enter the market. Mr Tadubana said despite some efforts to resuscitate the small scale poultry producers, some of the targeted beneficiaries were reportedly reluctant to use privately owned slaughter facilities at their respective areas since farmers did not want to pay service fees. He advised that using slaughter facilities would help in the speedy delivery of their products, proper packaging and assured hygiene amongst a plethora of benefits.

The chief scientific officer said whilst many factors could be brought forward, it was significant that the increase in local production could be attributed to the advent of local slaughtering facilities as well as import control. He noted that companies were encouraged to procure local produce before importing.

Whilst preaching the resuscitation of the industry, Mr Tadubana was alive to the many challenges of broiler producers, chief amongst them high cost of feed, lack of reliable market for  produce, and lack of skills and culture of commercial poultry production.

However, he informed them that following the reconsideration of statutory instrument 66 of 2005, which regulated the importation of feeds, the amendment had been that small scale poultry farmers who owned less than 10 000 birds could import up to 100 per cent of their poultry feed requirements. ENDS