Kenyan poultry farmers in trouble

“Getting feeds has become a nightmare and many farmers
are opting out of the poultry business. There will be a crisis very soon,” said
Ms Wairimu Kariuki, chairlady of the Kenya Poultry Farmers
Association.

The association says the high prices of feeds prompts a
reduction of birds reared, a move that may trigger a shortage or a price
increase of poultry products in the market.

The hardest hit are
commercial farmers rearing exotic layers and broiler breeds who rely heavily on
manufactured feed.

Manufacturers of poultry feed have been in talks with
the government to allow import of raw materials and to release part of the
strategic grain reserve for animal feeds. The government has appointed four
firms—Mombasa Maize Millers, Corn Products Corporation, Pembe Flour and Nouis
Pryefus, an international commodities dealer— to import a million bags of yellow
maize.

Mr Kinoti says the imports will help ease pressure on the high
prices of poultry feeds as they can sustain the industry for three months.
Players are, however, hopeful that with the start of the long rains due in three
months there will be enough supply of raw materials, pushing down the prices of
all feeds down.