LOAD SHEDDING HITS POULTRY FARMERS BADLY

By NOEL IYOMBWA

LOAD shedding is negatively affecting the poultry industry, the Poultry Association of Zambia (PAZA) has observed.

Association Executive Manager Dominic Chanda said the industry greatly depended on electricity and that due to the shortage of electricity, production had gone down especially among small scale farmers.

Mr. Chanda disclosed that some businesses were shutting down due to the high cost of doing business.

He stated that most small-scale farmers could not afford to buy other alternative sources of energy for incubation and lighting poultry houses.

He said even those with other sources of energy will be forced to scale down production because they could not afford to use fuel for many hours.

He explained that farmers were now forced to resort to the use of alternative sources of energy such as charcoal which he said was expensive hence the cost of production continuing to go high.

“Small-scale poultry farmers are forced to resort to the use of other alternative sources of energy such as charcoal which is also expensive hence the cost of production is becoming high.

“Others cannot completely afford to use other sources of energy hence they are shutting down their businesses completely,” he said.

The Poultry Association of Zambia (PAZ) was formed in 2000 and is an affiliate of the Zambia National Farmers’ Union under the specialised or commodity Association category of membership.

The mission of PAZ is to enhance and support sustainable growth of the Zambian Poultry industry whilst maintaining prosperity and profitability, a disease free status and ensuring that consumers get the best value for their money.

To enhance the capacity of members through measured production and productivity, improved marketing, access to technical information, lowering input costs and lobbying the Government for pro-growth policies.