20th December, 2023
Mr Sunday Ezeobiora, Chairman, SUNCHI Integrated Farms Ltd, Enugu, an agro-allied firm, has said that some government policies and programmes negatively impacted the growth of the poultry business in 2023.
Ezeobiora, who is the National President of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), disclosed this on Wednesday at the 10th anniversary celebration of SUNCHI Integrated Farms Ltd in Enugu, Enugu State.
According to him, the year 2023 has been difficult for poultry farmers in Nigeria.
He said he was hopeful that measures being put in place by the government would address the challenges confronting Nigeria’s poultry industry.
“In all the years we have been in operation, 2023 has been hugely remarkable as it is the year three major government policies had a significant impact on our operations.
“The Naira redesign policy, fuel subsidy removal, and devaluation of the currency affected our business just like every business in Nigeria.”
He said that the event was to bring stakeholders together and appreciate them.
Ezeobiora said that SUNCHI started construction in 2009 and commenced operations in 2013 as a breeder farm, hatchery and small-scale feed mill producing feed for the farm’s internal consumption.
“We started with a 20 tons per day capacity for the feed mill and 200,000 birds per month in 2013.’’
Ezeobiora, who is also the chairman of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria for Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi states, added that between 2014 and 2015, the company increased its hatchery capacity to 480,000 birds per month.