VZCZCXRO2415
PP RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN
DE RUEHUJA #2238 2400724
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 280724Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6934
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RHFMISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME 0020
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP/ASD-HD//
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC

UNCLAS ABUJA 002238 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDA FAS WASHDC FOR FAA/RANDY HAGER 
USDA FOR APHIS/JOHN SHAW 
USDA FOR WAYNE MOLSTAD/OSEC 
USAID/W FOR AFR/WA ANGELA LOZANO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO KFLU AMED EAGR EAID NI AVIANFLU
SUBJECT: AVIAN FLU IN NIGERIA: POULTRY SECTOR IN KANO STATE 
 
REF:  ABUJA 1791 
 
¶1. Summary.  Kano State is one of the leading markets for poultry in 
northern Nigeria.  In Kano, most poultry farms are small -- about 
two thirds have no more than 5,000 birds, and only about 5% of 
poultry farms in Kano State stock more than 50,000 birds.  Kano 
formerly could not meet locally the demand for eggs, and this 
situation has worsened with the advent of the avian influzena (AI). 
Middlemen travel to southwestern Nigeria every week to bring 
approximately 90 to 120 tons of eggs to Kano.  Given increased 
outbreaks of AI in southwestern Nigeria and the heavy interstate 
trade in poultry, Kano poultry farms will be at increasing risk for 
more outbreaks.  End summary. 
 
 
¶2. Muhammad Aminu Adamu, chairman of the Kano State branch of the 
Poultry Association of Nigeria, recently assessed the poultry sector 
in Kano State, one of the leading poultry markets in northern 
Nigeria.  In Kano, most poultry farms are small -- about two thirds 
have no more than 5,000 birds.  In that state, about 5% of farms 
have fewer than 50 birds (backyard flocks), about 15% have 50 to 500 
birds, about 45% of farms have 500 to 5,000 birds, and roughly 30% 
have 5,000 to 50,000 birds.  Only about 5% of poultry farms in Kano 
State stock more than 50,000 birds. 
 
¶3. Local chicken breeds (roughly 65%) dominate the market, while 
guinea fowl constitute about 25% and other types of birds roughly 
10% of the sector.  A "very large majority" of people in the area 
consider broiler meat toQ tasteless and too soft, hence the lack 
of a proper market for broiler meat.  (Note: Industry figures told 
the agricultural attache that the main factor affecting the 
popularity of broiler meat was its pricQnot taste.  End note.) 
 
¶4. Kano is a large market for all types of poultry products, 
including eggs.  Producers do not have to seek buyers; rather, 
buyers in Kano State have long sought out producers.  Dealers or 
middlemen buy from farms and sell to direct consumers (individuals, 
corner shops, and supermarkets) and to processors for onward sales 
to direct consumers.  The latter group includes many sellers of tea, 
and of sellers of fried yams and eggs, and of fried bean cakes. 
These last two groups are the largest outlets for eggs in Kano. 
 
¶5. Eggs are sold informally to the neighboring countries of Niger 
and Chad.  In normal times, eggs produced in Kano were not 
sufficient to meet the demand; AI has worsened this situation.  To 
cover the gap, middlemen travel to southwestern Nigeria, including 
Ibadan, every week to bring approximately 90 to 120 tons of eggs to 
Kano. 
 
¶6. All scale of farmers send their poultry and eggs to these 
different types of markets.  Egg dealers station their employees in 
southwestern Nigeria.  These buyers travel to all farms that have 
eggs for sale and buy the eggs, then wait until they have collected 
30 tons before sending a shipment north to Kano State.  These 
transactions operate year round and the tempo increases during the 
harmattan (dry) season as well as during the Muslim fasting period. 
They are least busy during April and May. 
 
¶7. Comment:  Given the increasing number of AI outbreaks in 
southwestern Nigeria and the constant flow of live birds and poultry 
products between Nigeria's states and regions, especially from the 
hard-hit Southwest to Kano State, the chances of renewed outbreaks 
in Kano State, as well as other parts of Nigeria, is high and 
growing.