The chairman of the Delta state Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Chief Alfred Mrakpor, Thursday commended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for its planned move to release grains from the nation’s strategic grain reserve to cushion the effect of flooding on farmers nationwide.
The chairman who made the commendation in Asaba, state capital said PAN should be considered a prioritise sub sector for the release of maize.
He praised CBN for its planned move to release strategic grain reserves saying that they are still suffering from the negative effects of avian influenza that destroyed their birds last year.
He appealed to the federal government to grant the association soft loans to alleviate their suffering.
He said poultry farmers had lost millions as a result of avian influenza and flooding that ravaged their flocks.
He said maize is a major component of chicken ration and allocating subsidised maize to poultry farmers would reduce the cost of producing birds.
Emefiele had said : “The flooding of this year happens to be the worst in the last five years in Nigeria. 32 out of the 36 states of the country were affected adversely by the floods. This meant that farmers lost their crops, and food prices and other agricultural products would go up.
“From our side at the CBN and the federal government, we have our strategic reserve, particularly for rice and for grains like maize, which we will use to moderate prices.”
