Rising Feed Costs Push Nigerian Poultry Farmers Toward Homemade Alternatives
Poultry farmers across Nigeria are increasingly abandoning commercial feeds in favor of homemade feed blends, as soaring input costs continue to squeeze profit margins and threaten the viability of their operations.
Farmers say the price of industrial poultry feed has surged sharply in recent months, driven by rising costs of key ingredients such as maize and soybeans, as well as broader inflation and supply chain pressures. In response, many are turning to self-formulated feed mixtures using locally sourced materials to cut expenses.
While the shift is helping some farmers stay afloat, industry experts warn that improper formulation could affect bird growth, egg production, and overall quality, potentially creating longer-term challenges for the sector.
Agricultural stakeholders say the trend highlights deeper structural issues in Nigeria’s livestock industry, including dependence on imported inputs, limited access to affordable credit, and weak support for local feed production.
Some farmers are calling for government intervention through subsidies, improved access to raw materials, and investment in feed processing infrastructure to stabilize the sector.
The move toward homemade feeds underscores a broader survival strategy among small and medium-scale farmers, who are adapting to economic pressures but facing trade-offs between cost reduction and production efficiency.
