As the rush for Christmas celebration draws close, livestock traders have expressed concerns over low patronage despite reduction in the prices of various chickens.
Daily Trust findings showed that breeders are sold for N25,000 this year compared to N35,000 last year — a N10,000 price reduction.
However, despite the reduction, patronage has been said to be minimal compared to last year.
Joe Okorowa, who sells by the roadside with chickens kept inside a mini-bus, expressed dismay over the low patronage despite the price cut.
“The patronage is very low. Last year, there was high patronage but this year now, it is very low. Last year, we sold between N30,000–N35,000.
“Then, a customer could buy 3–5 chickens but now hardly would someone demand for two. I brought 38 pieces and I still have 29,” he said.
He also stressed that the cost of a 25kg bag of feed has increased to N26,000 from N17,500, saying that he makes his own feed to mitigate cost.
“All the prices of things have gone up, but I make my own feeds because it’s less that way. I bought a day-old chick and it takes over five months to breed them because I don’t like selling soft chicken,” he said.
Femi Oke, Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), South-West and Lagos Chapter, confirmed that the prices of food items, including livestock, have reduced.
“What we have seen is the price of commodities come down because the government was able to subsidise and offered some assistance in the area of inputs and the price of some of those things we buy from the market.
“So, that was why they even decided to roll out some commodities to the end users,” he said.
He, however, disclosed that the reduction was unfavorable to farmers who had invested before the government subsidy on food items came.
“To us farmers, it’s not too favorable to us because most of us have got some money from banks,” he said.
He attributed the low patronage to limited money in circulation. “There’s not too much money in the market. So, you should expect the low patronage,” he said.
He highlighted the role some sub-nationals have played to ensure price reduction, citing the implementation of the Rural Agricultural Management (RAM) program to ease business for farmers.
“Some states have even started to work on the RAM, which is Rural Agricultural Management and the opening of some of these rural roads so that prices could come down apart from the price of commodities that the government has been able to subsidize.
“The Gombe government was able to subsidize fertilizer to almost 50 per cent. So, in all those areas, there’s no way you will not see the price of commodities come down,” he said.
He added that the lack of patronage has further pushed the price of livestock down.
Daily Trust findings showed that a carton of turkey has increased to N90,000 from N85,000, while the cost of chicken has risen to N65,000 from N54,000.
Olusola Olowoseye said the surge in the cost of frozen food was due to the festive season. “Every two weeks, the prices of frozen chickens go up gradually. There are different chickens. The least price is N50,000,” she said.
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