...As Akwa Ibom poultry farmers switch to maize farming

The Akwa-Ibom State Chairman of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, Mr Solomon Ekong, has said that the high cost of poultry raw materials, especially grains, has forced his members to turn to maize farming.

He said the association’s members took the decision to grow maize alongside their poultry farming at the heat of scarcity of maize early this year, which forced most of them to shut down their farms.

He said during the wet season farming, virtually all poultry farmers in the state grew maize but regretted that army worms destroyed some of the farms.

Mr. Ekong, who owns Kaiso Integrated Farm in Uyo, said many of his members have also expressed preparedness to embrace dry season farming to grow maize in the state and appealed to relevant authorities to find solution to the army worm menace.

He said there is high consumption of poultry products in the state and appealed to the state government to assist farmers to enable them sustain the confidence they have in the industry.

Mr. Ekong also regretted that despite the launch of the Anchor Borrower Programme in the state, poultry farmers were yet to benefit in any form.

He, however, urged his members to remain focused and observe farming rules in order to safeguard any possible outbreak of diseases.