National President of PAN, Dr Ayoola Oduntan, who spoke on behalf of the group on Wednesday at the Second Poultry Summit held in the Lagos State Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Alausa, said the activities of the violent sect had resulted in daily drop in sales due to non-availability of some raw materials which were usually sourced from the affected states.

According to Punch, he said exportation of raw materials to neighboring countries had become impossible while inability to access raw materials like maize and groundnuts was hurting the poultry business.

Dr Oduntan explained that the insurgency had killed retail sales in the north as a result of a non-existent nightlife during which northerners usually bought eggs in very large quantities from tea sellers.

He said, "The Federal Government must provide maximum support for the poultry business as it currently cannot satisfy the volume of demand for poultry products in the entire country."

Dr Oduntan said the association had come up with a 10-year Poultry Development Plan to save the industry, saying, "Poultry is a multi-billion naira business within the agricultural sector.

"We need to take our destiny in our hands because it is obvious we can be exporting eggs to the whole of West Africa sub-region.

"The strategic framework has led to the creation of the Egg and Chicken Promotion Board. The main focus of the board shall be market development for chicken and eggs. Other core responsibility of this body shall include research, trade promotion and education."

Head, Poultry Transformation Team of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Professor Funsho Shonaiya, said standards had been set in five areas for operators in the poultry business to ensure professionalism and top-level industry best practices.

He listed the five areas as breeder farming, feed mill operations, hatcheries, slaughter house operations, and safe usage of poultry drugs and vaccines.

Professor Sonaiya, who represented the Minister of Agriculture, Akinwunmi Adesina, said the ministry had seen progress in commercial poultry production.