Ban on frozen turkey, chicken sends prices up

The enforcement of the import ban on frozen turkey and chicken has sent the prices of the items up by more than 35% in Lagos major markets.

A survey by NAN at Mile 12 and Ijora markets showed that a carton of turkey now sells for N11,000 from N7,500, while chicken goes for N9,500 from N6,500.

At Dopemu and Agege main markets, a kilo of the turkey goes for N1,150 from N750, while chicken sells for N1,050 from N650.

A visit to cold stores in Ayangburen, Sabo, Obale and Ejino markets in Ikorodu showed that only few of them had the items.

At the Iyana Ipaja area of the state, only one cold store had the products in stock and it was sold at N1, 100 per kilo.

Federal government banned the importation of frozen chicken and turkey in 2003 but the ban was not enforced.

On July 7, the Nigeria Customs Service flagged off a fresh enforcement of the ban.

The new measures seem to have a bite following the soaring price of the items barely nine days after the fresh campaign by the customs.

Alhaja Afusat Popoola, Iyaloja of Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government, confirmed that the shortfall in supply was responsible for the price increase.

“Although, it is still available at Ijora market being the hub of frozen food items but the availability is in limited quantity and price has increased.

“The present situation will not only affect turkey and chicken but frozen fish will also be affected.

“There is, however, a lot of frozen fresh fish in stock,” Popoola said.

Akinbiyi Adeyele, an economist, urged the Federal Government to cushion the effects of the impact by providing incentive and investing more in livestock agriculture.

He said: “We all agree that smuggling is bad for the country’s economy.

“The government should create a form of intervention so that those that are trading in this frozen food business will be encouraged to take up livestock production.”

He stressed that the overall effect would impact positively on job creation, boost the nation’s food security, agricultural sector and the economy generally.