USAPEEC to support Ghana's poultry industry

The USA Poultry and Egg Export Council has expressed interest in supporting player’s in  Ghana’s poultry industry with capacity building programmes to enhance productivity in the sector.

 The Director of Technical Services Dr Mark Lobstein of the USAPEEC told a delegation of officials of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the other players in the poultry industry that the USAPEEC could collaborate with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide technical assistance to the local poultry industry.

“We will access the needs of the Ghana poultry growers and then discuss ways we can facilitate the growth of the poultry industry in Ghana with the assistance of the government,” he said.

USAPEEC is a non-profit trade association whose members account for more than 95 per cent of all U.S. poultry and egg exports.

USAPEEC exists for the purpose of increasing U.S. poultry & egg exports by protecting, opening and developing markets throughout the world and by serving as the industry’s voice on trade policy issues.

It cannot be one-sided, it cannot just be our idea. It has to be a partnership, let us come up with what will work for both of us. It has to be mutual and not always just  give or just take, there has to be some mutual benefit. We think the benefit is growing consumption.”

“If the consumption grows, the production will increase—its supply and demand. From discussions so far, the way forward would be seminar on biosecurity and good management practices."

Ghana’s poultry industry particularly the broiler sector is on its knees.

Whille the major issues behind the declining state of Ghana's poultry industry are varied and complex,  the most significant is government policy towards the sector's growth. 

In small remote communities, poultry farming is everything. It is the mainstay of rural communities, providing the major and – in some cases – the only source of income for many inhabitants. 

But failure of successive governments to come out with clear policies that will put the industry on its feet has triggered the import surge of frozen chicken from the USA and the European Union. 

But Mr James H.Sumner, the President of the USAPEEC said in all parts of the world where USAPEEC  exports its commodities, it was ensured that the local market is not stifled out of business but rather encouraged to grow as an increase in consumption increased production as well.

According to him, the developing world was vital to the growth of the poultry industry across the world.

Mr Sumner said the USAPEEC was commited to ensuring that the Ghanaian poultry industry did not bite dust.

“If you have a strong poultry industry, we can work together to increase production,” he stated.

With feed being the greatest challenge to the poultry industry and major production cost, Mr Kofi Asante, the President of the Ghana Poultry Farmers Association said a sustained investment in feed production would enhance the growth of the sector and ,therefore, appealed for support in that regard.

Mr Asante said vibrant feed sector would revive the poultry industry and create a lot more jobs for the country’s youth.