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19.09.2019 Agriculture

Pals Africa Launches International Exhibition As CEO Bemoans Stagnant Poultry Industry

By James Appiakorang Jnr, || Kumasi
Pals Africa Launches International Exhibition As CEO Bemoans Stagnant Poultry Industry
19.09.2019 LISTEN

The Chief Executive Officer of Pals Africa, Mr. John Bawuah has bemoaned the dwindling nature of the poultry industry in Ghana calling for concerted efforts between Government and poultry farmers to improve and expand the livestock industry.

He says the poultry and livestock industry has more to offer than what is currently being seen and stronger collaboration between the sector, government, and importers of livestock and poultry products would greatly enhance it.

Addressing journalists at the launch of the third International Poultry, Aquaculture and Livestock exhibition in Kumasi, Mr. Bawuah disclosed that the main factor bedeviling the growth of their industry is difficulty in sales and marketing since importers have captured the business.

He appealed to the government to enhance the negotiation between local poultry farmers and importers of poultry products so farmers could sell to them what they need.

“We are not fighting their business, we only want to produce for them so that together we can feed Mother Ghana and have mutual benefits”. He stressed.

The international exhibition, which is expected to attract investors from Morocco, Nigeria and other countries in the continent, is being organised by Pals Africa.

The fair will showcase agricultural products, new agriculture machinery, agricultural investors, livestock and poultry farmers and many more related products in the livestock sector along with its sub-sectors of poultry and dairying that have created employment for thousands of people over the years.

It is themed “Enhancing the Agricultural Value Chain toward an Aid Free Ghana – the Role of the Poultry and Livestock Sector” and will take place on November 4 and 5 this year.

Mr. Bawuah noted that the poultry and Livestock sector in other countries grow by three percent annually, ‘unfortunately we do not see that in our country and it’s very sad’.

He revealed that Ghana imports 375 million tonnes worth of chicken annually translating into 300 thousand metric tones.

This means Ghanaians consume about five million metric tones of chicken products weekly however local farmers are unable to produce even 30 percent of this amount.

Earlier, the Ashanti Regional Director of Agriculture, Rev John Manu said poultry consumption in the country is predicted to grow in the coming years due to a shift in food habits, urbanization, and increasing awareness of balanced nutrition.

He, therefore, asked poultry farmers to take advantage of modern technologies and the enabling environment created by the government to improve production in order to meet the increasing demand for poultry products in the country.

He said it is the agenda of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to help change the current situation through modernisation of the agriculture sector.

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