USAPEEC urges Ghana to join International Poultry Council
Ghana has been urged to join the International Poultry Council (IPC), a world body formed to bring together poultry industry leaders across the globe to address issues of trade, science, and improve relations among nations.
Currently with 26 members accounting for 90% of world poultry production, the IPC has only two African countries as members of the Council. They are Egypt and South Africa.
President of the IPC, James H. Sumner who is also President of the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) who was delighted that Ghana has a poultry farmers association has asked the group to join the IPC.
“I was pleased to hear you have a Ghana poultry farmers association and it will be really wonderful for the association to be a member of the International Poultry Council (IPC),” James Sumner told a Ghanaian delegation who are on an educational tour in Atlanta Georgia, USA.
The delegation is made up of officials from Ghana’s Food and Agriculture Ministry, poultry farmers and media personnel.
On the importance of becoming a member, the IPC allows countries to work together on common issues affecting the poultry industry.
The Council also promotes benefits of free and open trade for member countries.
Mr Sumner said the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) have recognized the IPC as the “official body of the world’s poultry industry”.
“This is a way we can communicate our positions on key issues to these world organizations directly without going through some of our governments,” he added.
Formed in 2005, the IPC is headquartered in Paris, France.
It will hold its 2013 Spring Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand from March 11 to 12, 2013.
The President of the Ghana National Poultry Farmers Association, Mr Kwadwo Asante who is part of the Ghanaian delegation told ghanabusinessnews.com that stakeholders have prepared a document to establish a Poultry Council.
By Ekow Quandzie in Atlanta, Georgia, USA