The President of the Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers (GNAPF) Victor Oppong Adjei has slammed the decision by the government to substitute eggs for mackerel for students under the school feeding program.
Reports indicate that the Akufo-Addo government has awarded a contract to a Chinese company to import mackerel for students under the school feeding and cut the consumption of eggs.
The increase in egg consumption created an avenue for employment and further investment in poultry production by the local farmers, according to Mr. Oppong Adjei but the sudden directive by the government has reduced the demand for eggs and on the verge of collapsing the local industry.
Speaking on the Morning Starr on Monday, April 12, Mr Oppong Adjei said replacing eggs with Chinese mackerel will not benefit the children because it does not have the same nutrients.
“The supply of eggs to schools was helping the poultry industry. But we’re hearing of the importation of mackerel to substitute the eggs, which is very unfortunate. The nutrients in eggs help the brains so you can’t compare mackerels to them. There was no agreement but gov’t said eggs should be added to the school feeding program. It was last week we heard that the eggs are being substituted with mackerel. Which is unfortunate.”
He added “as we speak now farmers are selling their birds prematurely and if we don’t take care, it’s going to collapse the poultry industry. People have been saying eggs are not good but you can take 2 to 3 eggs a day which is still good for you. Eggs have good cholesterol so we are doing much education on it.”
