Residents of Lagos State can look forward to more affordable poultry products this Christmas and New Year season. The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Lagos State Chapter, has officially announced a significant drop in prices, a direct result of the state government's intervention through its Ounje Eko Phase 2 farmers' subsidy programme.
Government Subsidy Drives Price Reduction
Mr Foluso Adams, the PAN Vice President and Chairman of the Aiyedoto Poultry Farmers Settlement, confirmed this positive development in an exclusive interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos. He clarified that the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems recently launched Phase II of the Ounje Eko initiative specifically to combat rising food costs ahead of the yuletide.
Adams emphasized that the subsidy provides crucial support to local farmers, which in turn enables them to lower their prices for consumers. The Ounje Eko Farmers’ Subsidy Programme will definitely go a long way to cut down the price of poultry produce during the yuletide, he stated.
Specific Price Cuts and Market Impact
The association has concrete figures for the expected price drop. The price of a crate of eggs is set to decrease from the current range of N5,500 to N6,000 down to a more affordable N5,100 to N5,300. Adams explained that this decision was a collective one by poultry farmers who, having received discounts from the government, felt compelled to pass on the savings.
He did, however, note a limitation: the subsidy is currently only available for the Animal Care brand of feed, which means not all farmers who use alternative brands can immediately benefit. Despite this, the association has strongly encouraged all its members to participate and contribute back to society by reducing their prices.
The distribution of the subsidized materials is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, with 50 farmers from the Aiyedoto settlement alone listed as beneficiaries. This intervention has also created a ripple effect in the market, prompting other feed processors to lower their prices to avoid losing customers, further contributing to a more favourable economic environment for farmers.
Chicken Prices and a Call for Wider Adoption
The positive trend is also expected to extend to chicken. We expect the prices of chicken to drop also, but discussions are still ongoing as regards that, Adams revealed. He ended on a hopeful note, suggesting that if other state governments in Nigeria were to adopt a similar subsidy model, the price of poultry produce across the country could see a drastic reduction during the festive season, bringing relief to millions of Nigerians.
