Global Feed Price Rises Signal A Looming Poultry Crisis

Advisor to the food industry, Muhammad Al-Fraih, believes there is a chance of a poultry crisis looming in the horizon due to rising feed prices globally along with a lack of government support for production companies. He stressed that poultry and meat producers should be supported to face those challenges and not raised prices in order to cover their losses. Due to current conditions, some companies may stop producing, negatively affecting food security.

According to Al-Fraih, Kuwait has 25 poultry and egg producers, including 6 major companies. These companies provide 30% of the local market with frozen, fresh and live chicken each year and our domestic egg production is self-sufficient, he stated, adding that the government is willing to provide support when necessary.

In Saudi Arabia, for example, the Saudi National Company produces 1.15 million chickens and 30 million eggs per day through government subsidy, while in Kuwait subsidies are available for corn only. They do not extend to other feeds, including soybeans, vitamins, salts, and so on, if the price of soy rises.

By importing nutritional supplements and buying in bulk, or manufacturing and selling to local poultry producers, he asked the Kuwait Flour Mills Company to "reduce prices" for poultry producers, pointing out that the current strategy is either to increase government support to poultry producers or let them raise prices to protect livestock production, and thereby maintain local food security for the country.

Comments Post Comment

Leave a Comment

Submit