Poultry Farmers Frown As Prices Of Chicken Fail To Appreciate

Poultry dealers in some markets in Enugu are counting their losses as prices of chicken fail to appreciate five days to Christmas.

THE WHISTLER observed that most buyers were reluctant to pay high prices, forcing the sellers to either return home with their fowls or sell below their targeted prices.

At New Market, our correspondent saw huge supplies of chickens, ranging from old layers to broilers.

“I borrowed to nurture these birds,” said a visibly angry trader. “Buyers will price and refuse to increase the amount. And they will continue waiting until some of the sellers who are desperate reduce their prices. They don’t want to know what it took us to grow these fowls.”

Clara Odo told our correspondent, “I bought six broilers. My landlady returned home and informed me that the fowls were cheap. It is true. If you come in the afternoon, the prices have reduced compared to what they bought in the morning. Some of the birds will become exhausted and may even die due to heat. So buyers target the right time to come.”

A seller was heard complaining, “This is the worst year for me since I started this business. Some fowls that should be selling for N10,000 are being sold for N6,000. The losses are many. The cost of transporting them back home is there; then feeding them again is another loss. If the government wants to help us, let them come and buy them off. I have counted over ten broilers that have died. Once they die, you see restaurant owners coming to price them N2,000. It is so bad.”

A butcher at Ikpa Market in Nsukka told our reporter, “The economy has badly affected the business. People come to buy, but they do it carefully. The dealers are the ones suffering. I believe things will get better. Just that some of the sellers want to sell off to return loans they collected to their various meetings.”

Our correspondent reports that some chickens that were sold at N13,500 last week fell to about N9,000.