Nigeria has 180 million birds, needs no poultry imports – NVRI

Vom (Plateau) – Nigeria has 180 million birds which
can meet its poultry needs, and has no need for
imported poultry or poultry products, the National
Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom, said.

NVRI Executive Director, Dr Ahmed Mohammed ,
made the disclosure in Vom, Plateau, on Sunday, in
an interview.

Mohammed said that 120 million of the birds were
rural poultry in backyards, while 50 million birds
were commercial poultry in formal poultry outfits.

"`The commercial poultry are layers and broilers,
while the backyard birds are usually for domestic
consumption and small scale sales," he explained.

He said that Nigeria did not need imported poultry
because more Nigerians were investing in the
industry, which had made the country self-sufficient
in that sector.

"Aside the poultry, we have lots of livestock to
complement our meat and protein needs.

"From our latest records, Nigeria has 22 million
cattle, 40 million ship, and 50 million goats.

"So, the ban on the importation of poultry and
poultry products is in order and should be strictly
enforced to encourage local production," he said.

The NVRI boss challenged poultry producers to see
the ban as an opportunity to promote self-sufficiency,
more local wealth and employment.

"They can improve on their capacities by accessing
the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) agricultural loans
being shared to farmers by all commercial banks.

"The loans are very easy to access and the process is
much easier for poultry farmers because the returns
on poultry are faster," he said.

He urged state and federal governments to
encourage home-grown poultry by helping farmers
to access vaccines for NDVI 2 disease.

"It (NDVI 2), is the main disease that kills rural
poultry and it is preventable.

"The vaccine's major advantage is that it does not
need to be preserved in a refrigerator; it is durable
and can survive any situation or weather," he said.

He said that the diseases that kill commercial poultry
were also preventable and advised farmers to get the
vaccines and make sure they were well administered.

"The only disease that has no vaccine is, perhaps
avian flu which can be avoided with biosafety.

"Once poultry owners maintain the right hygiene and
fence off their farms against all manners of visitors,
the possibility of contact is highly minimised."

He advised commercial poultry farmers to avoid
cluster farming to minimise the wide and wild spread
of avian flu whenever it hit one farm.

Mohammed also advised farmers against buying
young chicks from "jus anywhere", and
recommended large farms in the South-West of
Nigeria because they were usually very committed to
the health of their birds.

The NVRI boss also advised poultry farmers o
register their farms to ease access for possible
assistance whenever there was a problem.

He said that potential farmers should also consult
widely before embarking on that pursuit.

"Some people just retire from work and jump into
poultry without bothering to know how it is done; this
is very dangerous.

"It is such people that seek short cuts to reduce cost
and end up bringing all manners of diseases," he
said.

Mohammed advised Nigerians against consuming
poultry and poultry products smuggled into the
country, stressing that such items had proved to be
unhealthy and should be avoided. (NAN)

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