The Egg Sellers and Distributors Association of Nigeria has dismissed claims by poultry farmers that middlemen are behind the rising cost of eggs in the country.
The association’s president, Olaide Graham, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday in Lagos that the group’s focus is on making eggs affordable and accessible to Nigerians.
“We sell a crate of eggs as low as N5,500 presently. You can’t buy any other kind of protein — whether fish or meat — that gives you 30 pieces at that price. Eggs remain the cheapest source of protein,” she said.
Graham described the accusation by poultry farmers as false, insisting that distributors should not be blamed for the price hike.
She said the association had made efforts to work with the Poultry Association of Nigeria to stabilise egg prices, but the farmers were not open to collaboration.
“We came on board to partner with the Poultry Association of Nigeria, but they refused. They want to produce and sell at the same time. They have been enjoying the monopoly, and maybe that is why they are accusing us,” she added.
Graham noted that middlemen play a key role in ensuring the smooth running of the egg market.
“We heard they want to eradicate middlemen, but these are the people keeping the egg sector moving. Farmers sell to us for cash, but we often sell on credit to retailers. If we don’t sell quickly, the eggs get spoiled because they are perishable,” she explained.
She added that middlemen take the biggest risks, saying, “Maybe some farmers will stop poultry business if they realise how much work we do.”
The association also marked World Egg Day by donating food and aid to widows, the elderly, and less privileged people, under the theme “The Mighty Egg.”
Poultry farmers, however, have continued to accuse middlemen of exploiting prices for profit, leading to sharp increases in the cost of eggs across the country.
