The Poultry Association of Nigeria has cried out, asking the Federal Government to wade into the “suffering of the farmers due to high interest rates from banks.”

The PAN President, Mr Ezekiel Ibrahim stated this in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital at the opening ceremony of this year’s Nigeria Poultry Show.

The 2019 Poultry show which had as its theme “Nigeria poultry industry: Managing the value chain for national development” and featured the stakeholders in the industry.

Ibrahim who was represented by the National Secretary, Joseph Aladesuyi, explained that the ongoing Anchor Borrowers programmes did not get to all farmers in the country.

He said, “I also want to appeal to the Federal Government basically on behalf of the Nigerian farmers. We are suffering because of the high interest rate from our banks.”

Speaking on the border closure, the PAN president appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to keep the borders closed to drive the nation’s economic growth and food sufficiency.

Ibrahim said the closure of border would translate into greater employment opportunities in Nigeria.

He added that Nigeria could only get better with the border drill, saying it would equally boost sales and production in the industry.

The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, cautioned poultry farmers against using antibiotics in animal feeds as growth promoter.