• Poultry farmers blame scarcity, high cost of feed

Households in Lagos and Ogun states have decried increasing cost of eggs, saying the common source of protein is now out of reach. They lamented that a crate of egg is now sold for between N3,800 and N4,000 at farms and above N4,500 in retail shops and markets. However, in May, it was sold for between N3,200 and N3,500.

A resident in Mowe, Ogun State, Mr Anthony Umeadi, complained that he bought a crate of medium-sized eggs from a distributor at N3,800 in May, but was surprised that the same cost N4,400 yesterday.

A resident at Kogberegbe, Isolo, Lagos, Famoroti Adeoye, said he bought a crate at N4,600, against N4,000, three weeks ago. He said it was now difficult for Nigerian households to access protein, given the high costs of meat, fish, beans, and now, eggs. He urged the government to intervene to prevent unlikely health implications of lack of protein in household meals.

But the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) blamed the hike in egg prices on low production and high cost of feed. Chairman, Lagos State chapter, Mr Mojeed Iyiola, and other stakeholders in the sector disclosed this in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Iyiola attributed the persistent hike in the price of eggs to scarcity. According to him, a tonne of maize currently sells for N800,000 as against N400,000 in January.

He said: “The reason for the current hike in the price of eggs is that eggs are very scarce now. Most farmers have sold off their old layers. And to get new stock is very expensive. The price of a day-old chick is becoming unbearable.

“Farmers that are able to buy day-old chicks are considered well-to-do. Also, a majority of our local farmers have shut down due to the high cost of feed.

“Currently, a kilogramme of maize costs as high as N850 as against the N400 to N500 it was sold for at the beginning of the year. The same applies to soya and groundnut cake. The prices have increased astronomically.” He said the increase in cost of eggs is not commensurate with the rate at which the cost of feed materials are increasing.

“In fact, most farmers are running at a loss. That is why the only existing farmers are trying to keep the sector running. Even if a crate of egg sells at N5,000, the farmers will only be managing to get by.

“We want to liaise with the food hub at Idi-Oro. Our farmers are complaining that they can no longer afford to sell at a loss. We supply eggs at the farm gate at N3,800 per crate, and with the same logistics, we still sell at N3,800 at the hub. This means we are running at a loss.

“With all these incurred logistics expenses, a crate of eggs should be sold for N4,500 at the food hub,” he said.