A local farmer, Mr Ashiru Shittu, on Friday said that poultry farmers were happy with the continued land border closure as it boosted their productivity.
Shittu, a member of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the benefits of the border closure were enormous.
“The benefits of the border closure to the poultry industry cannot be over-emphasised; it has encouraged local poultry farmers to produce more, such that sales of locally-processed poultry have improved much.
“We are really enjoying the land border closure because we now have a ready market for our produce.
“Before now, we barely had a chance in the market because smuggled imported poultry products were in tough competition with our locally-processed ones.
“Sales of local poultry produce have improved and our turnover grown. The border should be closed across all agricultural value chains.
“Our Christmas sales were a typical example. It was phenomenal, we sold nearly all our birds because of the huge demand for poultry,” the farmer told NAN.
Shittu prayed for an extension of the land border closure to the different agriculture value chains, saying it was for the benefit of the country at large.
“Even the country as a whole is benefiting from the land border closure; the government is making more money. As far as poultry and crop production are concerned, it is a very good development.
“I advise that the border closure should be extended for about five years to 10 years. China shut its borders for more than two decades but today it is a major world market leader.
“No matter the issues with the border closure, the benefits far outweigh the challenges we claim to have with it.
“If the land border closure cuts across the various agricultural value chains, all our local farmers will be up and doing.
“When there is a ready market for poultry products, the farmers will be motivated to work harder and produce more to meet the growing demand,” Shittu said. (NAN)