From Farm to Market: Structural Barriers and Institutional Gaps in Afghanistan’s Poultry Value Chain
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65486/wms0rp50Keywords:
Poultry value chain, broiler farms, table eggs, feed mills, Afghanistan, livestock sector, agribusiness, food securityAbstract
Purpose:
This study examines the structure, performance, and constraints of the poultry value chain in Afghanistan. It aims to map the key actors across feed mills, breeder farms, broiler farms, egg producers, processors, wholesalers, and veterinary services, while identifying gaps in input supply, production, and market linkages.
Method:
The assessment applied a cross-sectional survey design conducted between March and June 2022, targeting 601 respondents from eleven poultry value chain actor groups across five regions of Afghanistan. Data was collected through structured questionnaires and analysed using descriptive statistics in SPSS (v.27) and Microsoft Excel.
Results:
Findings revealed 5,696 active broiler farms producing 149,306 MT of meat annually, meeting 86.7% of national demand, with 10.8% imported. Six breeder farms supply only 21.1% of the required day-old chicks, while 78.9% are imported. Twenty-three feed mills meet 99.3% of feed demand, though raw material supply (soybean and maize) remains insufficient, creating reliance on imports. Table egg production reached 699.8 million units (81.8% of demand), with significant hubs in Herat, Kabul, and Nangarhar. Critical constraints include price fluctuations, low quality of vaccines and feed, lack of veterinary support, inadequate government regulation, weak contract farming systems, and unstable markets for processed poultry products.
Practical Implications:
Boosting local breeding capacity, increasing feed crop production through contract farming, stabilising market prices, and strengthening veterinary and union support are crucial to cutting imports and enhancing food security. The poultry sector has the potential to generate significant employment and meet Afghanistan’s growing demand for protein.
Originality/Novelty:
This study provides one of the most comprehensive empirical assessments of Afghanistan’s poultry value chain, integrating production data, consumption patterns, and challenges faced by various actors within a holistic framework to inform policy and private investment decisions.
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