Poultry farmers across the country are crying over the shortage of maize on the market
National President for the Poultry Farmers Association of Ghana, Nana Oppong Adjei has challenged the Deputy Minister in charge of agric to give them location to where they can purchase maize for their poultry.
He told Kwame Tutu in an interview today [Monday] that, the scarcity of maize has affected their work because poultry farmers depend solely on maize as feed for poultry farming adding, the feed for poultry is 50-60 percent maize.
The Deputy Agric Minister George Oduro has said increasing prices of maize is not a sign of shortage in supply following an outcry by poultry farmers. According to him, licensed maize buying companies have bought off the staple for poultry and will soon sell it to persons in need of the commodity.
He also explained that there is enough maize only it is stocked in warehouse but not on the market. However, the poultry farmers have challenged the deputy minister to lead them to where they buy the maize.
The Association made up of some 4000 members lamented over what they say is a rare crisis in maize which they use to prepare feed for their livestock.
The president also lamented that, the prices of maize has shot up by more than 80 percent and if they are unable to purchase the maize, they will be affected. The shortage he stressed, is serious and across the nation.
When asked if they have engaged with government, he said, ‘’we have engaged with government and we have heard the deputy minister say the maize is in abundance.
We do want him to be talking but show us where we can locate the maize and buy some. Ask the deputy minister where we can locate and buy the maize in abundance.’’ He added: ''we kept warning government about imminent shortage but they failed to act and now we are faced with the shortage.''
