Lockdown weighs on poultry farmers

POULTRY  FARMING   COVID19 

Even though the lockdown is yet to be lifted for some sectors in Uganda, poultry farmers have felt the pinch since it was exerted in March.

Many poultry farmers are struggling to find suitable market for the eggs since hotels, restaurants are under strike conditions to open. They are facing a more grave challenge to buy feeds for the birds since there is no enough money collected from the sale of eggs. 

Now seen as a challenging business due to the pandemic, they have decided to sell off their birds to save them from the looming starvation.

When you reach the streets of Kalerwe, a Kampala suburb, you may think it is the festive season since vendors are parading broilers and layers for sell around the markets.

Joseph Kyate a vendor at Kalerwe market says farmers do not want to see their birds starve to death that is why they would rather sell them off cheaply.

"For over ten years, I have been in the business of distributing chicken to the markets, hotels, restaurants and to the street vendors, but what am witnessing today is absurd. Birds are dying daily due to starvation, we have tried to bring some to different markets to sell them cheaply but even the customers don't have money, we are devastated," said Kyate.

He further pleaded to the Government to fasten uplifting the lockdown in the country to let business operate freely and customers to access various farms across the country. 

Chicken was then sold between 30000 and 40000. Today the prices have drastically gone down to 10000 or 20000 depending on the buyer's bargaining power. 

By Gerald Kikulwe