By Jane Chanda
The Poultry Association of Zambia (PAZ) says the industry is grappling with numerous challenges among them, power rationing, high input costs, and scarce raw materials, which are affecting operations and growth.
In an interview with Daily Revelation yesterday, PAZ spokesperson Dominic Chanda said the power rationing had forced many operations to work at half capacity, depending on the number of hours they had electricity.
Chanda explained that this had led to a pushback from consumers, who were buying fewer chickens because they did not have access to power to keep them fresh.
He noted that farmers were struggling to feed their chickens for the recommended number of days, and processing facilities were facing production issues.
“Small-scale incubation operations have halted entirely due to lack of access to alternative power sources, while commercial operations are turning to more expensive alternatives, pushing up operation costs,” he said. “The prices of maize and soya beans, key inputs in feed production, have gone up due to the country’s poor harvest, making it difficult for farmers to afford feed.
Chanda said the challenges farmers were facing were affecting the growth of the industry, reducing operation hours, and impacting consumer consumption patterns, ultimately affecting the economy.
Chanda said the competitiveness of the products was also being affected, making it challenging for the association to compete with their neighbors and other competitors in the market.
Since ZESCO commenced loadshedding early this year, businesses both small and those conducted on a large scale, have been affected.
Loadshedding has been scheduled throughout the day affecting morning, afternoon and evening schedules.
