 Dominic Chanda has shared their struggle with the current loadshedding exercise){kind=link}
Zambia: Poultry Association of Zambia Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dominic Chanda has shared their struggle with the current loadshedding exercise. The CEO noted that the loadshedding initiative is negatively affecting the business as they are experiencing slow business.
The loadshedding has been affecting many small and large scale businesses in the county. The stakeholders of the affected businesses are regularly coming forward to register their concern.
Talking about the Poultry business, Chanda says the majority of people in the poultry business depend on the national electricity grid to carry out their business. Accordingly, the loadshedding is making it hard for them to continue with their poultry activities during the long power outages.
Chanda also talked aboyt the decreased demand for poultry products as the loadshedding leaves the people without power for several hours. He noted that consumers have reduced purchasing of chicken in large quintiles for fear of them going bad during hours of load shedding.
Further Dominic Chanda said some clients in the poultry industry have tried using alternative sources of energy. The business persons are trying to take on innovative ways to conduct their poultry activities. However this has proved too expensive on their part.
He said chicks sometimes become vulnerable to sudden changes in temperature due to the power cuts. He observed that when there is a power outage, heating or cooling systems may fail, putting the chicks at a risk.
Further Chanda said some clients in the poultry industry have resorted to the use of charcoal for heating. However, this solution of the people is also a cause of concern as it will lead to deforestation.
He however, noted that PAZ is working on promoting user-friendly alternative energy sources such as the use of waste manures to produce biogas for heating in order to reduce pressure on the national electricity grid.
“We are now calling upon the government to help subsidise the cost of bio-digesters for farmers who are able to set up the bio-digesters in their homes and farms”, said Mr Chanda.