GHANA – Poultry farmers in the Sunyani Municipality, Ghana, are urging the government to establish processing factories to enhance the value of poultry products for both local and international markets.
Charles Korang, the Chairman of the Sunyani Municipal branch of the Poultry Farmers Association and Managing Director of Krobea Farms, voiced this appeal.
Mr. Korang, whose farm houses over 10,000 birds, emphasized that the establishment of processing factories would not only ensure fair prices for poultry products but also generate significant employment opportunities for the youth.
Additionally, he highlighted that such factories would position Ghana favorably to export poultry products, thereby increasing the country’s foreign income.
However, Korang expressed concern over the current challenges faced by the poultry industry, particularly the soaring prices of essential feeds such as concentrates, rice bran, and soybeans.
According to a report by the United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service, titled “Ghana Poultry Voluntary Update 2024,” domestic chicken meat production in Ghana is forecasted to reach 70,000 metric tons in the market year (MY) 2024.
This represents a significant 17 percent increase from the previous year’s production levels.
This anticipated growth is largely attributed to a projected decline in corn prices on the local market, spurred by favorable harvest reports for the 2023/24 season, which began in August 2023 and will extend through January 2024.
As feed costs constitute a major portion of overall production expenses, the reduction in corn prices is expected to have a positive impact on the poultry industry.
While the Government of Ghana (GOG) discourages corn imports through regulatory import permits, it allows the free importation of soybean meal and concentrates.
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