The Ghana National Association of Poultry farmers says its members already sell eggs to Senior High Schools on a credit basis contrary to claims by the Chief Executive Officer of the National Food Buffer Stock Company, Hanan Abdul- Wahab.
Mr. Abdul-Wahab had a few days ago said some of the poultry farmers had a high rate of egg gluts because they had refused to give their produce to Senior High Schools on credit.
He said the concerns raised by the poultry farmers in the country would not have existed if they had gone into such a credit-sale arrangement with the various schools.
But the Chairman of the Poultry Farmers Association, Victor Oppong Adjei said most of the challenges his colleagues are faced with have to do with the delay in receiving payment for eggs supplied to schools.
“If you are taking eggs from a farmer, and you arrange that, you will pay the farmer in four weeks or let’s say two months, it won’t be fulfilled, but sometimes it will overlap. It will get to about 3 consignments which means it’s getting to six months. And in that case, the farmer cannot afford to continue to feed the birds.”
He lamented that delay in paying for eggs supplied adversely affect their businesses.
“If the arrangement is done and there is no loyalty, then definitely the farmer would break it because he cannot give all the eggs to you without payment. At least you make some payment so that the farmer also gets money to feed the birds,” Adjei said.
Background
The concerns of the Poultry Farmers came to the fore after the Africa Education Watch claimed that the National Food Buffer Stock Company had increased its supply of Chinese imported mackerel to schools ignoring eggs from poultry farmers in Ghana.
The Buffer Stock Company subsequently debunked the claims.
CEO of the National Food Buffer Stock Company thus encouraged poultry farmers to adopt a credit system that will enable the management of Senior High Schools across the country to patronize their products.
The CEO stated that this arrangement will be suitable for the heads of various schools who might not have the cash to pay upfront pending the payment of their subvention by the government adding that it could help address poultry farmers’ concerns of egg gluts.
“If they can go into some form of arrangement with the headmasters and supply them with eggs so that as and when they receive their 30 percent [food subvention component] they would pay them, then there wouldn’t be this challenge.”