The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has appealed to the Federal Government to waive tariffs for maize, soybeans, wheat and other items to ensure accessibility and affordability by farmers and the general populace.
The PAN President, Mr Ezekiel Mam, who made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja, said that such would also enhance food security.
Mam, who also described as worrisome, the high inflation rate in the country between December 2020 and January 2021, believed that such a step would help mitigate it.
The president of PAN, attributing the current high cost of poultry feed to the hike in the cost of maize, soybeans, wheat and its other core ingredients, called for urgent actions on it.
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According to him, giving tariff waivers on these commodities will make them relatively cheap and affordable and will as well ensure a drastic reduction in the cost of buying poultry products.
“We are appealing to the government to grant waivers on all maize, soybeans and wheat tariffs because unfortunately there is a shortage of supply of these commodities all over the world.
“Considering the current situation, it will be difficult to really have it on the ground and relatively cheaper unless the tariffs on these commodities are removed.
”If there is any subsidy at all, priority should be given to food items,” Mam said.
Mam also described food security as security for all and that the situation would get worsened if people could not feed or go to bed without food while the crime rate would be exacerbated.
“We appreciate the challenge government is facing for the reduction of revenue because of the fallen price of our major source of revenue which is oil; however, our survival is so fundamental.
“Therefore, the government should do the needful to ensure that the people survive by given priority to food sufficiency.
“This is because, the first medication in any disease condition is food, if you do not eat food, you cannot even take drugs.
“There is no treatment of illness without food intake and poultry is the cheapest protein source,” he said.
Mam added that making it more affordable would go a long way to assist the people. (NAN)
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