THE GUARDIAN
Chairman, Sunchi Integrated Farms Ltd, Enugu, Ichie Sunday Ezeobiora, yesterday, said that the naira redesign policy, fuel subsidy removal and devaluation of the currency by the Federal Government grossly affected poultry farmers in the South East in 2023.
Speaking during the 10th anniversary of the company, he stated that the policies opened a new way for poultry operators in the zone to remain in business.
He said that his poultry farm was not spared, as the company devised new measures to acquire raw materials to survive the crunch.
He said: “10 years is remarkable in the Nigerian business environment, and what a decade it has been for Sunchi. In all the years we have been in operation, 2023 has been hugely, as it is the year three major government policies had significant impact on our operations. The naira redesign policy, fuel subsidy removal and devaluation of the currency affected our business just like every business in Nigeria.”
Ezeobiora said that Sunchi started construction in 2009 and commenced operations in 2013, as a breeder farm, hatchery and small-scale feed mill, producing feed for farms’ internal consumption.
He said: “We started with 20 tons per day capacity for the feed mill and 200,000 birds per month in 2013. Between 2014 and 2015, we increased our hatchery capacity to 480,000 birds per month. In 2022, we installed 10 tons per hour automated feed mill for mash and 5 tons per hour pellet feed.
“Our oil refinery was established in 2016 with a capacity to refine four tons per day. With our increased feed production, we are also increasing our oil refinery to match the volume of soya beans we crush for a feed. The oil refinery was added to further add value to the by-product of soya bean, which we use for feed production. We have further gone into frozen chicken as an extension of our value chain.”
Also speaking, National Vice Chairman, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), South East, Izuolisa Onu, said kidnapping and killing negatively impacted their business in Enugu State.
He stated that no fewer than seven poultry farmers had been kidnapped from their farms in Enugu State this year, adding that two of those abducted were brutally murdered by their captors.
