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Improving Soybean Cake Trading through Avian Production

Animal Production and and Fishery Division At National Institute of Agricultural Extension (ICAT), Togo

Abstract

Togo is not a big producer of soy bean in terms of quantity but is the first exporter of organic soybean in West Africa with 22 000 tons of product exported in 2019. The exported organic soybean is mainly for organic animal production sector in Europe and North America. People started now to collect and export conventional soybean. In 2015 the sector brought in about 4 billion XOF. The production is estimated at 78 000 tons in 2019. The sector employed almost 300,000 people. Although exportations provide currencies, it does neither add value nor create lot of employment. Soy bean processing in soybean cake and roasted soybean represent a real potential for Togolese entrepreneurs with a big market related to poultry sector. The poultry sector constitute a big market for soybean processing sector and its by-products. In fact the number of laying hens increased from 229,720 in 2005 to 385,743 laying hens in 2010 (a 40% increase). We are importing a huge amount of poultry meat every year (almost 18 000 tons). Our local producers are not able to compete with European ones because of lack of competitiveness due to high feed cost. Soybean cake (a by-product) is cheaper and not competing with other food sector. It will surely help reduce feed prices and hence reduce poultry meat and egg production cost for better profitability. Although that important role soybean cake utilisation in feed could play in our poultry sector and the relatively small amount produced locally, actors are facing some issues to sell this by-product. Marketing issues are somehow due to lack of nutritional value analysis facilities, poor packaging without labelling, lack of awareness on poultry sector side, lack of organisation, etc. Our study project aims to improve soybean cake marketing for more income and employment both at processors and farmers side. Our action will be in business idea aspect to collect, analyse and package in an appropriate way soybean cake produced, provide services in profiling the product and extensively feeds, provide services in feed formulation and do some facilitation in actors organisation as well as workshops, etc.

Keywords: Poultry production, soybeans, Togo

Contact Address: Frederic Le Roi Abalo, Animal Production and and Fishery Division At National Institute of Agricultural Extension (ICAT), Lomé, Togo, e-mail: frediabalogmail.com