Ghanaian households are facing tighter holiday budgets this December as local poultry farmers project a minimum 15 per cent increase in poultry prices, driven by escalating feed costs and persistent retail price gouging.
The Greater Accra Poultry Farmers Association (GAPFA) has alerted consumers that price adjustments are now unavoidable, citing severe cost pressures tied to imported feed inputs and international freight charges that have squeezed farmer margins ahead of the peak Christmas season.
Global Supply Pressure Hits Local Farms
Unveiling the economic outlook during a community outreach event in Dansoman, GAPFA Chief Executive Officer Mohammed Ali highlighted the sector’s vulnerability to international market fluctuations.
“Most of the ingredients used in poultry feed are imported, leaving local farmers exposed to international price movements and rising transportation costs,” Mr. Ali stated. “Maybe not less than 15 per cent; we must see some price change ahead of Christmas.”
To protect the local poultry sector from chronic supply shocks, Mr. Ali urged government agencies to prioritize domestic grain cultivation, particularly maize and soya, to lower production overheads.
“When we are able to have an abundance locally, the feed price will surely come down,” he noted. “But without them, we can’t do anything about poultry feed.”
Middlemen Inflate Retail Prices Beyond Farm Gate Rates
In addition to rising input costs, the association raised alarm over excessive markups by retail traders, particularly in the egg market, where price inflation between farms and market stalls is widening drastically.
With farm-gate prices currently standing between GH¢40 and GH¢45 per crate, GAPFA reported that some retailers are imposing markups as high as GH¢20 per crate before selling to final consumers.
“We don’t expect an egg crate to go beyond 50 cedis. Take or leave,” Mr. Ali stressed, appealing to the Ministry of Trade and Agribusiness to introduce regulatory measures to curb middleman exploitation.
World Egg Day Outreach Reaches Schoolchildren
Despite the challenging economic backdrop, GAPFA marked World Egg Day by donating over 100,000 eggs across five school clusters in the Dansoman enclave to promote child nutrition.
“Eggs have some special protein content for every child from zero to eight that they need. We want to inculcate this habit into their daily meals,” Mr. Ali explained.
The association concluded by calling for expanded state support through initiatives like Nkokor Nkitinkiti, emphasizing that empowering local large-scale producers remains the surest path to securing national supply and mitigating future price surges.
