• The move is expected to have positive implications on the growth of the poultry value chain.
• There was a notable increase in the price of a day-old chick from about K5 to K16.
• The sharp increase in price has affected the supply side.

Policy Monitoring and Research Centre (PMRC) says government’s move to suspend issuance of export permits for day-old chicks, ingredients and stock will help contain the escalating prices of poultry products and stock-feed.
Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, Organization Head of Research and Analysis Sydney Mwamba said stable prices of the poultry products will positively influence and maintain the strides achieved by Government towards ending hunger.
Mr. Mwamba noted that the move will further allow for stabilization of the local production contain the rising price of poultry products and cater for the local demand.
“PMRC is elated by this move, as it is expected to have positive implications on the growth of the poultry value chain and survival of smallholder poultry farmers. The move also incentivizes the citizenry to invest in stock-feed production especially when the country recorded increased production of soya bean in the 2020/2021 agricultural farming season, a raw material critical in feedstock production.”
“There was a notable increase in the price of a day-old chick from about K5 to K16, while stock-feed is now fetching between K300 and K500-for a 50-kilogramme bag, depending on the brand and company. This increase resulted in the escalation of broiler chicken from K45 to the current range of K80-K130 on the market,” Mr. Mwamba noted.
He said the sharp increase in price has affected the supply side, resulting into failure to meet local product demand.
“Consequently, the price of poultry products such as Chickens and Eggs also increased significantly making them unaffordable to most citizens,” he added.
Mr. Mwamba urged Government to continue monitoring the performance of the livestock sector in order to promote sustainable growth of Zambia’s poultry industry.
Recently, Government announced the immediate suspension issuance of export permits of stockfeed and its ingredients as well as day old-chicks, except those with valid export permit.
Government further directed producers of stockfeed and day-old chicks not to increase prices of stockfeed and day-old chicks until concerns of livestock farmers revolving around are resolved.