MabeleAgric reposted this
"DRC producers can beat #chicken #imports: WITHOUT government intervention" 90% of chicken consumed in #DRC is imported. DRC spend $270 million in imported chickens (underestimation FAO). Local chicken remains uncompetitive and more expensive than imported one (Wageningen University & Research 2022). Chicken availability in DRC low. Congolese consume 2.4 kg per year, 3 times less than recommended by World Health Organization. The chicken value chain is broken in DRC. But to fix it, we DO NOT NEED #government #subsidies to local producers nor #taxes to importers. In fact, Picture #1 and #2 shows the price of whole chicken in supermarket. A 1.3 kg conditioned chicken cost 6.36$. Local chickens are sold bigger at 1.7 kg, which will be equivalent to 8.32 $. Now can a local producer produce chicken of 1.7 kg at 8.32$? YES.! Under congolese growing conditions (and despite high #feed cost in DRC), to produce, condition, package, freeze and market it chicken; a local producer will spend a total of 5.5$ to 6$ and could sell it chicken from 7$ to 8.3$. Instead of the government, we must focus on producers. To beat imports Congolese producers must learn to produce efficiently: 1. They must better understand numbers behind their business. How will salaries and overheads impacts your business? 2. They must better grasp their production techniques. Is cheap feed really "cheap"? 3. They must finally acknowledge that chicken is a small margin business. A margin of 1.5 $/chicken is sufficient. Do not need 4 $/chicken. USAID Agricultural Trade Diversification Program, Feed the Future, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), EquityBCDC, MabeleAgric