Lagos (Lagos State) – Some stakeholders on Thursday advised animal feed millers to transit from producing mash to pellet feeds for enhanced quality of meat production in the country.
They made the call at a workshop organised by the West Africa Trade and Investment Hub, in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development and the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), in Lagos.
Mr Jean-Francois Guay, the Senior Economic and Financial Advisor, Trade and Investment Hub, said the workshop was aimed at advocating for another stage of livestock development in the country.
He remarked that the sector was in dire need of suitable technology that could boost production.
“We want to help the animal feed industry to move to another stage of development in livestock and dairy production.
“This is to promote a business relationship and for business operators to come together to sign up for support from financial institutions.
“Many animal feed producers do not have the technology required to transit from mash to pellet production, which is more profitable.
“The animal feed industry is an end market for Nigerian cereal crops, rice, maize, millet and sorghum.
“So, we will grow substantially within the next 10 years’’, Guay said.
According to him, the Federal Government is also interested in animal husbandry, ranching and dairy production and thus the need to encourage investors.
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Mr Christopher Shyers, the Principal Consultant, Shyers and Associates, remarked that animal feed sector was under-invested.
He said that the small holder farmers would benefit if livestock production was developed. “The animal feed section is under-invested.
“Investing in animal feed will be beneficial to the small holder farmers producing the millet crops or rearing animals in their backyards.
“There will be better profit, better margin, and better quality for the manufacturers as well, so that they can build the brand,’’ Shyers said.
Dr Godwin Oyediji, the Registrar of NIAS, said livestock could help the government in diversifying the economy.
Oyediji pointed out that demand for local production of animal feeds had increased following the ban on poultry products by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
“Livestock is unique to drive agricultural development in the country. This workshop is to facilitate animal feed miller’s access to finance by bringing both investors and finance experts to a roundtable.
“We presently produce 5.1 million metric tons of feeds but there is potential to upgrade to at least 10 million metric tons.
“There is rapid expansion as smuggled poultry products are being controlled by the NCS.
“Nigerian chicken are now consumed in hotels and eateries, which means more animal feeds needed to be produced’’, he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the workshop was attended by livestock associations, financial institutions and investors.
The theme was: From Mash to Pellet: Adding Value in the Animal Feed Sector.’’
(NAN)