Skip to main content

Poultry farmers advocate local consumption of poultry

Poultry farmers in Ghana are encouraging locals to consume poultry products produced locally.

They are targeting to takeover 60 percent market share of the country’s total poultry consumption.

Currently, Ghanaians consume only 10% of local poultry as compared to the more patronized foreign products which make up 90% of total consumption.

The poultry farmers claim the move has become increasingly necessary following reported cases of COVID-19 infected poultry meat from Brazil.

Brazil is a major foreign supplier of poultry products to Ghana.

Some international media outlets have reported that Dourados, located in Mato Grosso do Sul, is the second BRF plant that China has suspended since the coronavirus allegedly began affecting Brazilian meat plants.

BRF, Brazil’s biggest chicken exporter, said in a statement on July 29, 2020, that it was not formally notified of the suspension, but learned of it via a publication on China’s Customs website.

Reuters on August 14, 2020, reported that the Philippines also imposed a temporary ban on poultry meat imports from Brazil after two cities in China allegedly found traces of the new coronavirus in cargoes of imported frozen food, including chicken wings from the South American country.

Shenzhen city authorities according to Reuters identified the chicken as originating from a plant owned by Aurora, Brazil’s third-largest poultry and pork exporter.

In Ghana, poultry consumption is dominated by chicken.

Poultry imports have remained high due to increasing demand and the decline in domestic commercial poultry meat production.

Ghana’s poultry imports come from the United States, Brazil and the EU with supplies from the United States capturing over 40 percent of market share, while European countries and Brazil have 25 percent each of the market share.

Read also: WIPVaC lobbys for implemtation of ECOWAS veterinary pharmacy protocol on lifestock

President of the Greater Accra Poultry Farmers Association Michael, Nyarko Ampem, in an interview with Citi Business News asked government to invest in the sector to enable local poultry farmers increase their market share from the current ten percent to sixty percent.

Though they have been advocating for such a move in recent times, he believes it has become more necessary amidst the devastating effects of COVID-19 on Brazil.

There should be some form of reduction to maybe forty percent then local production will be sixty percent. It is important that we must always be mindful of the fact that there is COVID-19 around, however, we should not panic that there is COVID in the meat.”

“Again since March we have realized that there has been an increase in the consumption of local poultry, so if we continue with the consumption of local poultry then we don’t have to be worried about foreign imports.”

Although WHO has ruled out animal to human transfer of COVID-19, I understand the concern people will have and so local poultry consumption is safe”.

There is no doubt that consumption patterns for poultry of households in urban areas in Ghana are heavily weighted towards imported frozen poultry products.

The reasons for this trend are that the imported ones are cheaper than locally produced poultry and it is already pre-cut into parts like the leg quarters and wings, processed whole chicken and gizzards.

As such, the convenience of a ready to use chicken product has boosted consumer demand.

Michael Nyarko Ampem subsequently called on local producers to invest in packaging their poultry products into portions as a way of meeting the needs of consumers in the country.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Ghana Home Loans

With interest rates declining, a more liquid environment and a macroeconomic stability, mortgage financing is expected to see an ease of credit. And Ghana Home Loans being a leader in this industry is expected to lead the way. Ghana Home Loans (GHL), a leader in home mortgage, continues to be the frontier in fulfilling dreams of many Ghanaians in homeownership. Since starting business in 2006, it has also provided many existing homeowners with Equity Release mortgages to support their businesses, pay educational fees, improve their properties, or simply pursue other personal hobbies and interests. Ghana Home Loans is a mortgage finance institution which operates under Bank of Ghana’s supervision as a non-bank financial institution. At present, the Company remains the only such institution that focuses exclusively on the provision of mortgage product. Through the Home Completion mortgage and Home Construction mortgage products, Ghana Home Loans has enabled many qualified applican

Rana Motors celebrates 30 years of Kia Sportage in Ghana with the unveiling of 30 Unique Limited Models

 In a bold milestone, Rana   Motors , a leading player in the automobile industry, is marking 30 years of its flagship compact   SUV , the Kia Sportage presence on the Ghanaian market with the launch of the limited special edition of the 5th Generation model. This latest edition, proudly assembled in Ghana, reflects the brand’s commitment to combining local craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology with key upgrades including acoustic laminated glass for a quieter interior and reinforced safety features like eight airbags, including rear side airbags. Speaking during a brief ceremony to unveil the 30th Anniversary of Kia Sportage in Ghana, Chief Operating Officer of Rana Motors Kassem Odaymat, described the positioning of the company as a game-changer in the automotive landscape.   To mark three decades of outstanding success, Kia has equipped a new special edition of the 2024 Sportage with enhanced specification, focusing on convenience and safety while further elevating the model’s

Index of industrial production surges to 8.2% in 2024 2nd quarter

  The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has expressed frustration over the challenges faced in securing electricity for schools across the country. During their 62nd Annual Conference, held in Tamale from October 7 to 11, CHASS voiced concerns about the impact of prepaid electricity meters on their operations. In a statement, CHASS highlighted that the use of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) prepaid meters in schools is worsening the financial strain on headteachers. CHASS is extremely surprised as to why its members should be burdened with the responsibility of pre-financing the supply of electricity for classrooms, libraries, dormitories, dining halls, laboratories, and other academic purposes," the statement read. CHASS called for the government's immediate intervention, urging the shift from prepaid to postpaid meters to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply. They emphasized the need for continuous power to support effective academic work and to