By: Nyima Sillah
Following government ban on importation of chicken to the country because of the mysterious bird flu in Senegal, Shortage of chicken has hit markets within the Greater Banjul Area, thus, resulted in hike price.
The shortage has sparked concern, as scores of vendors and consumers are left in limbo over when the ban will be lifted. They said the ban has caused the hike price for chicken available in the country.
Ebou Saal, a vendor told The Voice that he has not been selling at the poultry since government placed an embargo on importation of chicken, as this has resulted price of chickens going up.
“I cannot afford the money to buy and sell it again, but I hope the ban don’t take long or else people will suffer and the income of the poultry industry will be very weak which is not good for the country,” he said.
“Many Gambians travel to Senegal to buy poultry food and other essential stuffs for their poultry farming, but with this ban, how can we have access to poultry food. This is a key thing in poultry farming because they are not process in the country. It’s really a challenging time for the poultry industry and I pray the situation is control as soon as possible,” he added.
Awa Njie, a consumer accused vendors of taking advantage on consumers during such time.
“Some vendors always take opportunity of such situations and do whatever they wish to do and that makes living more difficult because not everyone has enough money to buy what they offer when prices are increased,” she said.
She said The Gambia and Senegal need each other especially in the exchange of goods and services and most importantly poultry farming.
Modou Lamin Fadera, a poultry farmer, said: “I think our country has enough poultry farms to settle the issue of poultry products in the country. But this is an example that we are still lacking some key measures that can boom the poultry businesses in this country.”
“If just a temporal ban can make poultry farming difficult and challenging, what of if it is a permanent ban. Because that was the suggestion of some poultry farmers that it Is high time government do something for the poultry industry?” he added.
