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A non governmental organisation with focus on agriculture, Agrihouse Foundation, has called on the government and all major stakeholders to support and recognise July 1 as the Ghana Poultry Day to promote the purchase and consumption of locally produced chicken.
By designating July 1 as a national Poultry Day, the founder and Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, said the needed attention would be given to the sector to help appreciate the hard work and dedication of those who worked in the poultry sector.
Ms Akosa, who was speaking at this year's Ghana Poultry Day, held on July 1, 2023, said picking July 1 to mark poultry day would also throw light and celebrate the contributions of the poultry sector to the country's economy.
"The poultry industry is a vital part of our economy, providing jobs, food, and income for millions of people across the country.
Yet, it is often overlooked and undervalued," she said.
The third edition of the Ghana Poultry Day held at the forecourt of the State House, brought together some key decision makers, Members of Parliament (MP), Chief Executive Officers of companies and organisations, who took part in various activities for the day.
Personalities such as New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential Hopeful, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, MP for Klottey Korle, Dr Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings, and the MP for Shai Osudoku, Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, all prepared chicken meals as part of the activities to celebrate the day.
The MP for Ketu South, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, who outlined the criteria for the cooking contest, was also the main judge.
The initiative, organised by the Agrihouse Foundation, treated guests at the event with free grilled chicken and boiled eggs.
The Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture (Crops), Dr Yaw Frimpong Addo, said the country could only boast of about 15 per cent poultry production which he said was too low and therefore urged poultry farmers to scale up their efforts so that the country could reduce the importation of poultry.
The minister said it was part of the government’s plan to roll out a second phase of the Planting for Food and Jobs agenda which would include the breeding of poultry.
The plan, which he said would be rolled out for five years, would throw more light on the poultry sector and give it the necessary support to boost the sector to make the country self-sufficient in poultry.
The Chairperson of the Greater Accra Regional Poultry Farmers Association, Gifty Rhodor, said although the poultry sector had the potential to create jobs, about 85 per cent of poultry farmers had folded up because of the exorbitant price of poultry feed in the country.
That, she said, also had an impact on the poultry industry in the country.
"We used to purchase the feed at Gh¢2,400 per tonne but now it is being sold at Gh¢6,000 which is too much and it is discouraging poultry farmers," she said.
She, therefore, called on the government to make efforts to subsidise the price of the feed, which is mostly maize and soya, and store them in warehouses during the bumper season and make it available and accessible to all when it was out of season.
