The use of antibiotics limits the export of Nigerian egg powder
Chairman of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter, Mojid Iyiola reported that domestic food processing enterprises prefer to purchase imported egg powder. The main reason for rejecting locally produced products is the use of antibiotics for treating poultry, which, according to experts, makes the raw material unsuitable for processing due to the risk of residual elements entering the final product. Unlike their European colleagues who use probiotics, local farmers have not yet switched to such alternative methods.
To rectify the situation, according to Mojid Iyiola, the industry needs a revision of production standards. It is necessary to implement specialized housing systems where poultry intended for producing eggs for further processing will not receive antibiotics even in case of disease. In this regard, representatives of the association call on government authorities to assist in forming a network of specialized farms ready to supply high-quality raw materials.
In addition, poultry farmers are awaiting the launch of an egg powder production plant in Igbodo, Epe. Currently, due to the short shelf life of fresh eggs and weak consumer demand, farmers are forced to regularly dispose of thousands of crates of produce and lower selling prices, operating at a loss. According to the head of the association, processing eggs into powder will increase the storage life of raw materials and provide poultry farmers with access to alternative sales channels.
At the same time, President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Kabir Ibrahim noted that the state of the industry is also affected by high costs for agricultural resources, including fertilizer, and the low purchasing power of the population. The situation was complicated after the introduction of a zero-tariff policy on a number of imported food products, which, according to experts, negatively affected the motivation of local farmers to continue production under current conditions.