Copperbelt based poultry farmers complained of being exploited by animal feed companies which have taken advantage of the shortage of chicks.
The animal feed manufacturing companies had started asking poultry farmers to buy all the feed required to grow chickens to the recommended size at once when placing an order for the day old chicks, a situation that resulted in further stress for the affected farmers.
One Copperbelt based farmer based in Luanshya told the Zambian Business Times – ZBT that this practice was never the case in the past as poultry farmers were allowed to buy a particular feed that is needed at a particular stage and then later buy the other required feed when needed.
When ZBT contacted one of the feed companies, Tiger Animal Feeds, which has been accused of allowing its sales agents and stores on the Copperbelt to demand full payment for both chicks and feed to grow the chicks to maturity, the company refuted claims stating that if it’s being done, it’s not with the blessings of the company.
Company Sales Manager Priscilla Bafana said customers are allowed to buy the feed in bits but they should make sure the money is available so that when the feed finishes, they are ready to buy the other one, which is required for the next stage of growth.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with ZBT, Bafana said customers are advised to make sure money for the whole feed range needed to grow the chickens to the required size is available in order to avoid a situation where farmers fail to buy feed at a particular stage of growing the chickens.
Bafana mentioned that this does not mean that poultry farmers should buy all the feed required at once, but should ensure that money is readily available to buy the feed required at every stage.
She said affected customers who have been made or forced to buy all the feed at once when they are not ready should report specific individuals or sales representatives who are asking them to buy the whole feed at once, as that is not acceptable by the company.
She said the company only guides its customers on how to go about using their feed but they can buy the feed whenever they need it. Sales agency’s or representative are not allowed to demand the purchase for all the feed range at once.
Day old chicks shortage had emerged in some parts of the country resulting in some sales agencies and sales outlets now taking advantage of the shortage to sale their other stock feed ranges and supplies
