AMMAN — The cold front that
has affected the Kingdom over the past few days has slowed the productivity of
the Kingdom’s chickens, leading to losses of up to 30 percent of usual
production volumes, according to Abdel Shakour Jamjoum, president
of Jordan’s Poultry Investors Association.
اضافة اعلان
Jamjoum said that the losses incurred
by open, non-air conditioned
farms raising both broiler and laying chickens have
taken several forms, including decreases in the weight of chickens and higher
mortality rates, Al-Rai daily reported.
The current demand for
chicken and
table eggs is “modest”, despite the stability of chicken and egg prices in the
local market and the winter weather, which usually causes a spike in demand, he
said.
Challenges for consumers and farmersIn general, the demand for
chicken last year decreased by 30 percent from 2021 demand due to low consumer
purchasing power, Jamjoum said.
Furthermore, the sector faced “a great
challenge” in 2022 as feed prices increased due to the Russian-Ukrainian war,
accompanied with rising fuel prices and operating costs.
The sector faced “a great challenge” in 2022 as feed prices increased due to the Russian-Ukrainian war, accompanied with rising fuel prices and operating costs.
Taxes imposed on the sector have been an
additional burden, with 40 percent of small-scale breeders leaving the sector after
suffering losses.
Calling for government assistanceJamjoom renewed previous demands to
cancel the 5 percent tax imposed on the sector, or to freeze it until feed
prices return to levels witnessed before the Russian-Ukrainian crisis.
He also called on the
Ministry of Agriculture to organize the sector by identifying optimal production quantities
in line with local demand. This, he said, would ensure the continuity of future
production and allow the sector to turn profits that would enable chicken farms
to continue operating.
In numbersJamjoom estimated the Kingdom's total
daily consumption of fresh poultry products at about 600,000 chickens and about
4 million eggs. Normal daily production of chicken and eggs covers domestic
demand, reaching 120 percent of consumption levels.
According to Jamjoom, Jordan is home
to 2,000 chicken farms that breed both meat and laying hens, with eight large-scale
projects for breeding and producing poultry.
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