Poultry Association of Zambia (PAZ) says improved rainfall and efforts to stabilize electricity supply could create better conditions for the poultry industry in 2026.
Speaking in an interview with Money News, PAZ Executive Manager, Dominic Chanda expressed optimism about the outlook.
Mr. Chanda, however, noted that challenges around consumption and household economic pressure remain a key issue.
“The energy outlook looks brighter for 2026, and if we continue to have good rainfall and improved power supply, we might see things get better,” Mr. Chanda added.
He explained that while production costs have dropped this year due to lower feed prices and a stronger Kwacha, the reduction has not yet translated into increased consumer demand.
“The cost of production may have gone down, but this does not address the issue of consumption,” he said.
Mr. Chanda noted that recurring power challenges have affected both farmers and consumers in 2024 and 2025, limiting the ability of households to purchase poultry products.
“Consumption wise, there hasn’t been much change because the same consumers affected by power last year are the same consumers affected this year,” Mr. Chanda stated.
He said this year, Poultry Farmers have benefited from a significant drop in input costs following a strong soya bean harvest, which reached about 288,000 metric tonnes, helping reduce feed prices.
Mr. Chanda also credited the stronger Kwacha, now averaging around K23.50 compared to K28 last year, with easing the cost of imported inputs.
“However, these savings have not fully improved sector performance because some farmers exited the industry due to high costs last year, affecting hatchery activity and overall production,” he noted.
Despite these challenges, he stressed that continued good rainfall and improved electricity supply could create a more favorable environment for poultry farmers in 2026.
Mr. Chanda highlighted that stable water levels and power availability are critical to sustaining production efficiency and keeping feed costs manageable.
“While lower production costs offer relief to farmers, sector growth will ultimately depend on improved household purchasing power and stable economic conditions,” Mr. Chanda emphasized.
