Accra, April 20, GNA - Mr J.H. Owusu-Acheampong, Minister of Food and Agriculture, on Wednesday toured six poultry farms in the Greater Accra Region to acquaint himself with problems facing the industry.

He visited Dufie Farms, Delawin Farm both in Kpone, Afariwa Farms and Livestock Products at Tema, Sydals Farms at Adjei Kojo near Ashaiman, Mackba Farms at Ashaiman and Farm Vivian, Lashibi.

The farmers told the Minister that the recent increase in the price of maize and the influx of imported frozen chicken are adversely affecting the local industry, especially broiler breeding.

They said the price of a 50-kilo bag of maize had shot up from 28,000 cedis to 48,000, thus forcing the farmers to stop producing broilers and shifting to egg production, which seems to be more lucrative.

The farm manager of Dufie Farms, Mr Fifi Hammond, said the poultry farmers also find it difficult to market the birds because of the high cost involved in producing them, and appealed to the government to check the influx of imported frozen chicken to save the local industry from collapse.

He complained of high interest rates on bank loans, saying, "it is deterring us from going in for loans from the banks to enable us to store more feeds during the harvest period".

He, therefore, appealed to government to reduce the interest rates for those in the agricultural sector so that they could produce more. Mr Owusu-Acheampong advised poultry farmers not to produce only during festivities but should endeavour to remain in production throughout the year.

He said the government was aware of the constraints facing them and was doing everything possible to solve their problems, adding that the government is equally concerned about the importation of frozen chicken.

"The government is not happy about the volume of imported items that come into the country, but you have to assure us of constant supply of your products so that we would not take a step that would affect the people."

He said the ministry would organise a forum for farmers in the region to discuss the problem. A similar one would be organised later in Kumasi for those in the northern sector.

"We need to sit down and discuss the issue at length and find a lasting solution to it''. Major-General Edwin K. Sam (rtd), managing director of Delawin Farm, said local farmers could produce everything to cater for the population if they were given the right atmosphere.

He added his voice to the complaint about the influx of subsidised imported frozen chicken, which are cheaper than the locally produced ones. "If the marketing aspect of the broiler business can be put right, we would go back to breed more broilers for the public."

He suggested that there should be a central plant where the farmers would process their birds to reduce the cost of production. At Afariwa Farms, the Minister commended Nana Owusu Afari, the executive chairman for employing young graduates from the universities to assist him.

He urged other private organisations to supplement the government's efforts to create more jobs for the youth by offering them employment.