The Greater Accra Poultry Farmers Association (GAPFA) is appealing to government to hasten the process of certifying Ghanaian local hatcheries to meet global standards.

The President of the Association, Michael Nyarko-Ampem explained that the recent ban by government on the importation of day-old chicks and other poultry products from the European market due to the outbreak of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in there, could trouble the local poultry.

“We appeal to government to expedite action of certifying local hatcheries so that when some of these things come up, coupled with the impact of COVID-19, we won’t be affected in anyway.

"That is one of the ways to empower the local industry and to ensure that the standards that are used elsewhere will also be used here” he implored.

GAPFA has also asked government to stabilise the price of certifying the local hatcheries for the long term, so as to enable the local poultry business to grow.

Meanwhile, the Association has expressed worry about the loss of some of the indirect benefits and subsidies on products under the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ).

“With the PFJ, we were getting maize at good prices. For some unknown reasons the price of maize is galloping and those indirect benefits and subsidies have been eroded,” the GAPFA said.

The Association in 2019, performed remarkably in terms of volume of feed produced and sold. The total quantity of feed sold in 2019 was a record 590,676 bags, compared with the 566,753 bags recorded for the previous year, 2018.

The increase of 23,923 bags represented 4.2 per cent with a record gross income of ¢50,617,324 compared with ¢45,505,728 made in 2018, showing an increase of ¢5,111,596 constituting 12 per cent increase.

With a membership of more than 700 poultry farmers, the Greater Accra Poultry Farmers Association, established in 1978 is the only poultry farmer association in Ghana with a feedmill.

The Association produces feed for sale to its members and maintains a vibrant growth each year.