Poultry Farmers Get N1.8bn Compensation For Bird Flu Invasion

The National President of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Ezekiel Ibrahim, has disclosed that the Federal Government has paid over N1.8 billion as compensation to poultry farmers who were victims of avian influenza, known as bird flu, in 2015.

Ibrahim disclosed this at the ongoing Nigeria Poultry Show organised by PAN in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The Nigeria Poultry Show is an annual programme organised by the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) for stakeholders in the industry to showcase their products, exhibit latest technology, among others.

The eight edition of the show has as its title: “Repositioning the Nigerian Poultry Industry – Path to Economic Growth and Recovery.”

The poultry farmers’ president pointed out that despite the challenges confronting the industry, it had grown stronger to become the export hub of poultry products to the West African Sub-region.

Ibrahim equally submitted that the industry had potential to drive the Nigerian economy both locally and internationally.

Meanwhile, a poultry expert and farmer, Muktar Yakassi, has said about 15 billion eggs from 59 million birds are consumed annually in Nigeria.

Yakasai, who spoke at the show while delivering a paper, noted that the poultry industry was yet to meet the nation’s egg demand.

Yakasai, who is also the Deputy Managing Director of Grand Cereals Limited, noted that the poultry industry still performed “sub-optimally and therefore requires re-engineering and re-focusing.”

He said, “The poultry industry in Nigeria has not met the need of Nigerian egg consumers as 15 billion eggs only are consumed in Nigeria annually from 59 million laying birds.

“For poultry meat, about 260,000 metric tonnes is produced in Nigeria from 160 million birds, 1.5 million metric tonnes is consumed annually with a shortfall of 1.24 million tonnes met mostly through imported frozen chicken.’’