Poultry Farmers Announce Price Hike for Chicken and Eggs Amid Rising Production Costs
Poultry farmers in the Ashanti Region have raised alarms over escalating production costs, announcing an impending price hike for chicken and eggs ahead of the 2024 Christmas season. The increase is largely attributed to surging prices of poultry feed and heavy taxes on key feed ingredients, creating financial strain on the industry.
Mr. Jackson Moses Asabil, Chief Executive Officer of MJ Asabil Farms in Manso Akropong, Amansie West District, expressed grave concerns about the unsustainable costs. “The sharp rise in prices of essential feed ingredients like maize, wheat bran, and soya beans is making it nearly impossible for farmers to sustain their operations,” he stated.
The skyrocketing prices have stretched farmers’ resources to breaking point, while additional taxes on imported feed components are exacerbating the situation. Mr. Asabil lamented that local producers face mounting challenges as imported poultry products, which are not subject to the same taxes, flood the market at lower prices.
“The rising cost of feed is already crippling us, and the added taxes on imported ingredients make it harder to compete with cheaper imported poultry products,” he noted. Mr. Asabil called on the government to take immediate action to make critical feed ingredients more affordable and accessible. “We need the government to reduce or absorb the taxes on feed ingredients like maize, wheat bran, and soya beans. This would significantly help lower our production costs,” he appealed.
The situation has become so dire that many poultry farmers in the region are urging the government to intervene urgently. They are requesting tax relief on imported feed components to ease the financial burden and help local producers remain competitive.
As the festive season approaches, the announced price hike is expected to affect both farmers and consumers. Higher production costs will lead to increased prices for chicken and eggs, impacting household budgets during the holidays. The poultry sector, which supports thousands of livelihoods and bolsters the local economy, faces a potential crisis if immediate measures are not implemented.
Farmers are warning that without government support, the future of local poultry production is at risk. They emphasize the urgent need for sustainable solutions to ensure the industry’s survival and protect the livelihoods of farmers as consumer demand surges during the Christmas season.