Vice President promises better days for poultry farmers

Accra, April 4, GNA- Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday announced that government would not do anything that would jeopardise the progress of the local poultry industry.

"Government is ready to sit with all the stakeholders in the poultry industry to find out the challenges and craft out possible solutions that will promote their activities and protect the industry in the coming years.= " Vice President Mahama announced this when members of the Ghana Nationa= l Association of poultry farmers called on him at the Osu Castle. The farmers among other issues complained of the influx of imported chicken which was crippling the local industry, high cost of imported poultry feeds, inadequate vaccines and low quality day old chicks. Vice President Mahama said a stakeholder meeting involving the poultry farmers, Ministries of Food and Agriculture, Trade and Industry and Finance and Economic Planning would be held next week to map out strategies that would provide a congenial atmosphere for poultry farmers.

He said chicken was fast establishing itself as the staple meat of mos= t families and government would throw its weight behind the farmers to produc= e enough for both domestic and external consumption. The Vice President said government had made an amendment to allow the poultry farmers to benefit from the Enterprise Development and Investment Fund, and as soon as it received Presidential Assent funds would be provide= d to qualified farmers under the category.

He said the sector had the potential of absorbing a lot of the unemployed youth, particularly returnees from Libya and the Ivory Coast to make decent livings. Mr Kenneth Quartey, Spokesperson for the farmers appealed to governmen= t to implement the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) tariff laws which would discourage the importation of 91cheaper' chicken. He said the importation of the chicken had over the years threatened th= e local poultry industry, since consumers bought it far lower than the domestic products. Mr Quartey called on government to support the farmers with loan facilities that would propel them in business. 4 April 11

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