ibironkeeniola 
A Poultry farmer, Dr. Olatunde Agbato has charged Nigerians to appreciate the potentials in the egg industry, in order to create jobs and support the Federal Government’s policy on borders closure.He said: “The potential for egg production is phenomenal in Nigeria and the country can create millions of jobs through egg production. It is veritable way of lifting people out of poverty.
“China lifted over 700 million people out of poverty. About 20 years ago, people saw Chinese as a country ridden with poverty, but today they are exporting eggs to other countries. We can encourage local production. China closed its borders for several years.
“After independence, India closed its borders. Today, India is a world power. We need to close our borders. We need to endure some pains to reap gains. But everything has been politicised. We need to get our acts right if we want to move out of poverty.”Agbato who is the President, Animal Care Services Konsult disclosed that Nigeria has not been able to meet up with eggs demand in the country, noting that supply is astronomically lower than demand.
He said the innovations would set the company’s FUNTUNA eggs apart in the market, be environment-friendly and create local jobs for the economy through import substitution.Agbato charged Nigerians to eat more egg as a rich source of protein for the human wellbeing, disclosing that the per capita egg consumption for Nigeria, which currently stands at between 60 and 80, is far below the globally recommended 365 eggs per year per person.
“There are three main innovations we have done to our eggs. The first one is that each of our eggs carries its best before date. When you buy a crate of eggs and somebody mixes our eggs with other eggs, apart from the fact that our logo is on each egg, which we did a while back, now it carries best before date.
“Even though we put the best before date on our eggs, it does not mean that people can’t eat the eggs after the date. It only means that people will derive more value from the eggs if eaten within the date on the eggs.”
Speaking on the myth hitherto associated with the consumption of eggs, the company’s Executive Vice President, Dame Olufunmilayo Agbato, said scientific researches by renowned global nutritionists had debunked the linking of egg consumption with high cholesterol. She urged Nigerians – the young and the old-to consume more eggs for growth and development of brains.