Lagos Chicken Producers Push for Egg Powder Production Facility to Minimize Financial Losses

Lagos State poultry farmers are calling on the state government to expedite the setup of an egg powder factory, which would help mitigate the significant financial losses they incur due to unsold eggs, amounting to millions of naira.

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This plea was made during the Poultry Association of Nigeria's annual summit, held in Alausa, Lagos State, where farmers were also trained on leveraging modern technology to boost productivity and profitability.

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According to Mojeed Iyiola, Chairman of PAN Lagos, poor sales are a major challenge for poultry farmers, resulting in the daily disposal of hundreds of eggs and subsequent losses in the millions of naira.

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Iyiola stated that the Lagos State Government is supporting the establishment of an egg powder factory, which would enable the processing of eggs for local consumption, even if exportation is not immediately feasible.

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The Chairman of PAN Lagos commended the state government for its support of poultry farmers, particularly its efforts to establish a processing facility that would help preserve excess egg production and reduce waste.

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Iyiola noted that the summit, themed 'Flocking to Growth: Transforming Nigeria's Poultry Industry with Innovation and Investment', aimed to expose poultry farmers to global best practices and technological innovations to improve efficiency.

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The summit, which also served as the association's annual conference, was organised to educate members on better and more technological ways of running poultry businesses, enabling them to maximise benefits and increase profitability.

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Iyiola explained that the association has commenced training programmes, involving experts from academia, to equip farmers with theoretical and practical knowledge, stressing that Nigerian poultry producers must adopt global standards to remain competitive.

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Professor Olugbenga Ogunwole, a specialist in agricultural biochemistry and animal nutrition, poultry science, food and food safety at the University of Ibadan, urged poultry farmers to adopt modern feeding practices to maximise the genetic potential of improved poultry breeds.

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Ogunwole emphasised that farmers should feed their birds in line with international standards to achieve the desired results, rather than relying on outdated practices and poor-quality feed.

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Director of Extension Services at the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, Olushola Egbota, encouraged poultry farmers to utilise the ministry's extension services to improve productivity, rather than relying solely on government interventions.

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Egbota invited all poultry farmers in the state to contact the Lagos State Extension Services office at Oko-Oba, Agege, for information and support to maximise their productivity and potential.