Barely hours to the Christmas celebration, Gombe chicken sellers are lamenting low patronage of their birds.
In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday in Gombe, the sellers said the development was disturbing.
NAN correspondent who visited the bird market section of Gombe Main Market, sighted few customers pricing the birds while most chicken sellers were observed to be sitting by their cages of the birds.
Kabiru Musa, the chairman of Gombe State Chicken Sellers Association, said the prices of chicken had slightly increased when compared to those of 2021.
Mr Musa said though a handful of customers was coming out to buy chickens, he stressed that the volume of customers had grossly reduced compared to that of 2021.
“The sales is not as expected because we have recorded low patronage compared to 2021. Although the prices of chickens and other birds have increased compared to last year, but this is not just for chicken but even other items.
“In 2021, a matured broiler was sold for between N4,000 and N5,000 but now it is going for between N6,000 and N7,000.
“Matured local chicken in 2021 was sold for between N3,000 and N4,000 but now it goes for between N4,000 and N6,000 depending on their sizes.”
Usman Abubakar, a chicken seller, said he is greatly concerned and worried that sales had not been good.
Mr Abubakar said “no one is coming to the market to buy chicken, probably because they do not have enough money so they prioritise and go for alternatives within their means.
“In 2021, between December 23 and 24, I sold no fewer than 90 chickens but this year, I am yet to sell up to 10 chickens,” he said.
Mr Abubakar said many residents had become poultry farmers and are now taking their chickens around within their communities to sell.
“That is another reason we no longer see them here (in the market), except when they come to slaughter chickens,” he said.
Other sellers who spoke to NAN shared similar experiences while expressing their concerns.
Mohammed Bappah, who slaughters chickens at the market, said he had been patronised enough for him to earn something good.
Mr Bappah said he was getting customers in spite of the complaints by chicken sellers who are close to him.
“Though the number of chickens I slaughtered in 2021 during this period is higher, but I am still getting enough customers and I am happy to be making some profits.”
Bulus Joseph, a poultry farmer, said he had spent a lot buying feeds to rear his birds but had not been patronised enough to sell his birds.
Mr Joseph said he had over 50 birds but barely sold 18 which, according to him, is disturbing as he is yet to recover his investment.
