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Poultry farmers make a lot of money when business is going really well, but every now and then poultry farmers experience heartaches due to challenges that can be very expensive to deal with. In this guide we will look at some of this challenges that Namibian poultry farmers hate.
Challenges faced by poultry farmers
Mentorship and Guidance
This is a real problem, initially it was a case of new and young poultry farmers not having the necessary skills and knowledge to help them become successful poultry farmers, over the years we have local Namibian poultry farmers who have mastered poultry farming but they are reluctant to mentor and help guide the young and newer farmers.
This lack of mentorship problem becomes an even bigger challenge as soon as the farmers start to experience problems that they cannot understand. Remember, once you make it, teach one and also remind them to teach another person.
Access to the Namibian Poultry Market
With the restrictions imposed by the red line, which prohibits the movement of poultry products from the northern side of the red-line, specifically from the Ovambo, Kavango and Zambezi regions, this means that poultry farmers in those areas cannot sell their poultry products to the greater population market in Namibia.
This is a regulatory restriction therefore, the only way to avoid it is to place your poultry farm on the southern side of the red line and this is costly, it is almost impossible to get cheap land to start your poultry farm.
High chicken feed costs
The price of chicken feed can be very volatile and it can soar up to a number that is just not reasonable to the farmer. This is usually common during the winter months. With the increasing number of small poultry farmers in Namibia, poultry feed producers have been increasing their feed prices and this adding to the challenge being faced by small Namibian poultry farmers.
Disease outbreaks
Chickens are very sensitive and susceptible to diseases, and at times a small breach in the biosecurity measures can result in huge losses. Diseases can be hard to control especially with farmers that are using the free range system, as wild or local birds can fly in and mix with your chickens as they both try to feed.
Diseases like avian influenza, Newcastle disease, and other bacterial infections can spread rapidly among poultry flocks and this can be very hard to treat and deal with.
Market price volatility
Poultry prices can be volatile due to factors like changes in consumer preferences, increase in poultry product import, restriction or difficulty in exporting your products. Fluctuations in prices can affect the profitability of poultry producers.
The average selling price of chicken in Namibia as of 2024 is about 40 to 52 NAD per kilogram, but this may not always be the case when selling to retail stores and wholesalers as they may decide to demand for a lower price.
Choosing the right suppliers
In the supply chain of any poultry business, a farmer needs to have reliable people or businesses to source their equipment, chicken feed and most importantly chicks. Any mistake made in the process of picking your suppliers can result in huge losses of money.
Some suppliers may put up low prices and then just supply you with feed or chicks that are just not of good quality. With the lack of mentorship and guidance this can be a huge challenge.
In conclusion, poultry farming can be very lucrative when everything is done right. This article just wanted to let you know of some of the challenges that you as the poultry farmer may expect when you start your poultry farm business.
READ MORE on How to start a poultry farm in Namibia click here.