The Poultry Association of Zambia (PAZ) says the price of Stock Feed has increased in the past one year due to the price and availability of maize on the domestic market.

Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, PAZ Executive Manager Dominic Chanda also cited price and availability of Soya cake on the market resulting from low output of soya beans and depreciation of the Kwacha as other factors that have contributed to the rise in the price of Stock Feed.

Mr. Chanda observed that the price has moved from One Kwacha Fifty Ngwee per Kilogram to about Five Kwacha Fifty Ngwee to Six Kwacha per Kilogram, and that this has drastically increased the cost of producing one chicken.

“When you look at where we are coming from and where we are now, prices of broiler feed in Lusaka have jumped to about K340 per 50 Kilogram bag while in some districts like Kashikishi, Mongu, and Lundazi the average for broiler feed is about K260,” Mr. Chanda said.
He said as a result, Poultry Farmers have gotten a knock on the profit margins and a number of them are pulling out of the industry because it is no longer profitable.
“Profit margin on the part of poultry farmers has gone down because the price of chickens and eggs has not gone in tandem with the inputs,” he stated.

Mr. Chanda however said following the good rains being recorded this year, it is likely that prices of stock feed will go down resulting from the anticipated good crop and soya bean harvest.
“But given the good rains that we have this year, it is very likely that prices of stock feed will go down resulting from a crop and soya bean will have this year and farmers may come back into the industry,” he stated.