The Federal Government on Wednesday tasked poultry farmers on the need to produce, process and market hygienic poultry products in the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, represented by Mr. John Onovroke, State Coordinator FMARD, gave the charge while inaugurating and handing over a modern live bird market built by the Federal Government to Delta Government at Ibusa, Delta state.
Umakhihe, delivered the project through Mr. Ben Agamah, Permanent Secretary, Delta State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources (MANR), at the Delta State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (DARDA), Ibusa, the project site.
He said, Delta is first among the five approved states; Jigawa, Sokoto, Ebonyi and Benue, to be benefit in the Federal Government live bird market project.
“It is worthy to note that the live bird market project was approved to be constructed in five states across the 36 states of the federation and Delta is one of the lucky states to benefit.
“The concept of this project is to provide conducive, healthy and environmental friendly facility for sales and processing of poultry birds for consumption.
“This project is basically initiated to improve the provision of quality animal healthcare delivery services to livestock and pastoralist in the state.”
Umakhihe, while handing over the project, appealed to the delta state government to put it to good and effective use so as to encourage the Federal Government to deliver more agricultural development projects in the state, adding that the project would in addition improve quality healthcare delivery services to farmers as well as improve quality of processing poultry meat for consumption and create employment across the poultry value chain.
Receiving the project, Mr. Ben Agamah, Permanent Secretary, MANR, represented by Dr. Austin Ojogbo, Director, Veterinary Services Department, MANR, thanked the Federal Government for the project, and promised that the facility would be put into effective use.
Agamah further noted that the facility was the first of its kind in Delta and it would serve as a model for poultry processors and a surveillance to produce wholesome and hygienic poultry products for Nigerians.
“This is the first of its kind in the state and the state government will look towards replicating this in other parts of the state. The project has been handed over to the MANR and it is ready to take off effectively.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, Dr. Austin Ojogbo, Director, Veterinary Services Department, MANR, represented by Dr. Edmund Orioko, a Deputy Director in the ministry, said the project would bring poultry sellers and buyers together to ensure standards.
Ojogbo stated that the market is a welcome development that will avail farmers to buy and process birds free from diseases. He also promised that his association would utilize the facility to process and market their products.
He however thanked the Federal Government for citing the project in Delta, adding that the market would be put into immediate use.
Mr. Anthony Odogwu, a poultry farmer, lauded the Federal and the state governments for providing the facility to enhance hygiene in the processing of poultry.
The facility has all the necessary chambers plus a borehole for clean water supply to enhance hygienic environment for poultry processing businesses in the state.
