Give more assistance to poultry farmers - Best Farmer

Lower Bobikuma (C/R), Jan. 17, GNA - The Central Regional Best Poultry Farmer in 2004, Dr. Charles A. Kumsah has called on District, Municipal and Metropolitan Assemblies to use part of their common fund to purchase day-old chicks and other inputs for farmers on credit to improve the industry.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency at Lower Bobikuma Dr. Kumsah, who is also a Senior Lecturer of the University of Education, Winneba, noted that many poultry farms were facing eminent collapse due to the high cost of drugs and feeds.

He said poultry farmers could not extend their farms to meet the high demand for eggs and chicken because of the high cost involved and suggested that should the assemblies agree to assist the farmers, a committee should be set up including farmers to ensure that quality day-old chicks and inputs were purchased.

Dr Kumsah noted that apart from meeting the protein requirement of the people, it would also help create jobs for the unemployed youth. According to him due to the poor quality of day-old chicks he purchased last year, 700 died leading to a heavy loss and said farmers could not cope with the 38 per cent interest rate being charged by the banks especially the rural and community banks.

He said these among other things scared young men and women to enter farming and appealed to the authorities to encourage the youth to undertake citrus, plantain and other cash crop farming to feed the nation and reduce poverty.

Dr. Kumsah appealed to Chiefs and land owners to release more lands to encourage the youth to enter farming, adding that, many of them wanted to go into agriculture but could not do so because they do not have access to lands and capital.