Free fall of the Zambian Kwacha affects the poultry industry in Eastern Province.

The poultry industry in Eastern Province has not been spared by the current depreciation of the Zambian Kwacha.
Poultry Association of Zambia Provincial Chairperson, Chazingwa Mwale told Breeze News that the price of stock feed on the market has been rapidly increasing, affecting the poultry business.
Mr. Mwale explained that in the past few months, a 50 kilogram bag of stock feed, which was costing 150 Kwacha, is now being sold at about 250 Kwacha.
Mr. Mwale says this has led to farmers using common maize bran to feed their chickens.
He says the maize bran is affecting the growth of the chickens and people are not buying in large numbers.
Mr. Mwale also complained of an influx of chickens from Lusaka that have flooded the Eastern market, causing people to stop buying the local chickens because the ones from Lusaka appear bigger.
He added that the price of day old chickens has also increased within one month from 400 Kwacha per box to 575 Kwacha.
Mr. Mwale has appealed to the business community in the province to consider coming up with stock feed production industries so that they stop buying the product from Lusaka which will eventually reduce the prices.