By Bilesanmi Abayomi
The Lagos State Government, under the leadership of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has taken a significant step in addressing the egg glut problem facing poultry farmers in the state. The State Government’s intervention comes as part of its food systems transformation plan, aimed at improving the livelihoods of agricultural value chain actors and ensuring the production and supply of wholesome, nutritious foods to Lagosians.
To address the egg glut issue, the Ministry of Agriculture facilitated the offtake of a minimum of 300,000 eggs from the Erikorodo Poultry Estate in Ikorodu by Farm Alert Ltd, a private firm. This move follows weeks of negotiations by the Hon. Commissioner, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, and other senior ministry officials to ensure that all parties are in agreement on the modalities of the offtake. The operation commenced on Monday, 10th April 2023, and will further enhance the development of the poultry value chain in Lagos.
The poultry farmers operating within Erikorodo and Aiyedoto poultry estates form a large percentage of registered farmers under the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) – Lagos State Chapter, and this intervention enhances the food security agenda of the State Government.
The estates’ poultry farmers have cited cash crunch and school closures as some of the factors that aggravated the recent egg glut issue. The State Government’s intervention is a welcome relief to the farmers, who have been struggling to sell their eggs due to the oversupply in the market.
Speaking on the State Government’s intervention, Commissioner Abisola Olusanya said, “On our part as the government, the administration of Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu will continue to put measures in place to create a conducive environment for farmers to operate in line with efforts to ensure sufficiency in food production in the State.”
The Lagos State Government’s intervention in the egg glut problem confronting poultry farmers is a clear demonstration of its commitment to improving the agricultural value chain and ensuring food security in the state.