Source: www.thepoultrysite.compoultryMaking Money from Africa’s love of chicken and eggs Written by: smallstarterThinkTank 
Africa’s love for poultry meat and eggs has grown at a staggering pace. Every year, the continent imports more than two million metric tons of poultry products valued at nearly US$3 billion to meet domestic demand. In 2012 alone, more than five million tons of poultry meat and two million tons of eggs were consumed in Africa. Africa’s love for chicken and eggs is increasing with the size of its rapidly growing population.

Let’s explore the amazing opportunities for African entrepreneurs in this large and potentially lucrative market for chicken and eggs… Chicken and eggs are a rich source of animal protein for millions of Africans. The young population, who make up more than 70 percent of the continent’s people are the highest consumers of poultry products. Africa’s poultry market is experiencing a boom as a result of its rapid population and economic growth.

Brazil and China have become the largest exporters of frozen chicken to our markets and have made it nearly impossible for local poultry farms to thrive. (photo credit: guardian.co.uk) Many African countries understand the huge income potentials for local poultry production and have placed import bans on poultry products to protect local producers. However, most of these bans have not been effective and have made no real impact on actual foreign imports.

Smuggling poultry products, especially meat, have become very big business in countries like Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. For example, in the year 2010, over 200,000 tons of frozen chicken were exported to Ghana from the US, EU and Brazil. In Nigeria, up to 100,000 tons of imported poultry products are seized annually over its borders and destroyed.

This has severely undercut the profit potentials of this lucrative market for local producers as they struggle to compete with very cheap foreign imports. It is almost impossible for African producers to compete with these very cheap imports. Brazil is the world leader in poultry exports and has one of the lowest production costs in the world which makes its exports extremely cheap. Even South Africa, Africa’s largest economy, is under pressure to save jobs in its local poultry industry due to the influx of cheap Brazilian and Chinese chicken. (photo credit: tradekey.com) Combined with the US and Europe, who are also jostling for a larger share of the African poultry market, it has become increasingly difficult for African entrepreneurs to exploit the poultry consumption goldmine.     Poultry Farmers in Ghana get Ghc50m Support Government is to disburse about Ghc 50 million as stimulus package, to support poultry farmers across the country, between the last quarters of this year to next year.

At a media briefing in Accra, the Minister of Trade and Industry, HarunaIddrisu, said the move is part of government’s commitment to improve poultry production and reduce the country’s food imports. As part of efforts to encourage the youth especially females to go into poultry farming, would dedicate about ₵1.5 million of that financial package to support the females. This initiative would address government’s commitment of reducing import and increasing export of poultry product and other domestic products. He called on the poultry farmers to demonstrate their domestic capacity to produce to address the poultry deficit when given the opportunity. Source:gbcghana.com   http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3663e.pdf