Poultry Board to be launched

Accra, May 27, GNA - Cabinet has approved the establishment of a Poultry Board to oversee the development of the poultry industry, Mr Ernest Debrah, Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) said on Friday. The Board would among other things take overall responsibility for the development, growth, modernization and sustainability of the poultry industry.

The Minister, who was answering a question on the floor of Parliament, said membership of the Board would include farmers, processors, feed millers and researchers.

He said the MOFA was at the tail end of putting together the membership, adding that the greatest challenge facing the poultry industry was that of feeding cost, which constituted about 60 per cent of the production cost.

"The cost of feeding is too high which results in higher poultry prices and making them uncompetitive.

"The Ministry is stepping up the production of maize and Soya beans to support the poultry industry.

"Again, programmes have been put together to work with the youth in expanding maize and Soya bean production.

He said the Soya would be processed into oil and the residue (cake) used as poultry feed adding; "research has proven Soya cake to be more nutritious and cheaper means for feeding poultry than fish meal". He said the Ministry was working with the Animal Research Institute (ARI) to rehabilitate the Quality Control Laboratory at the ARI to test and certify poultry feed produced in the country.