Quail farmers ask government to intervene on collapsing business

BY KAMAU MAICHUHIE

Kiambu,Kenya: Quail farmers in Kiambu have appealed to the government to urgently address the underlying issues that are threatening to kill their commercial farming.

The farmers said they have invested heavily in quail farming but the business is currently experiencing serious challenges which if not addressed is bound to kill the new business.

They singled out lack of market for their products, high cost of feeds and the free fall in egg prices, as some of the challenges currently being experienced by farmers.

“Quail farming is a good business which has good returns. However, lack of market for the products like egg and meat coupled with increase in production has greatly reduced the prices of eggs from Sh 100 last year to Sh 20 at the moment.

The quail farmers are also grappling with propaganda being peddled around by chicken farmers saying that quail farming is a pyramid scheme aimed at defrauding the people which is making many people shun quail farming and their products,” said Moses Mburu a quail farmer from Limuru.

The farmers spoke in Ruiru during a stakeholder’s forum convened by Kiambu county quail farmers and Kenya Livestock producers Association (KLPA) in conjunction with the County government.

Addressing the farmers, Kiambu deputy governor Gerald Githinji said the county government has embarked on a mission to look for market both locally and internationally in order for avail ready market to quail farmers for their products.

“We are looking for foreign markets in countries like japan which has a readily available market for quail eggs since 50 percent of eggs consumed in the country comes from the bird.

I also challenge the youth to take up quail farming since it is an investment with good returns and which can go a long way in fight the high unemployment rate among the youth,” Githinji said.

Kiambu Executive Member in charge of agriculture, livestock and fisheries Dr Monica Waiganjo said the government will solve all pertinent issues bedeviling quail farming.

“The executive in conjunction with other stake holders will come up with a bill that will address all underlying issues which will be tabled in the assembly for discussion,” Dr Waiganjo said.

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Quail farming