Uganda is estimated to have between 40 and 50 million chicken. Of these, at least 30 million are hybrids while the rest are local breeds.
Most of the hybrids are kept in closed shelters, with leading producers like UGACHICK, Bokomo, Biyinzinka, Kayonza and others taking a big share of the breeding.
Local chicken are mainly kept on a free range system, where they scratch the soils as they look for insects and other things to eat.
And even though they are commonly referred to as enkoko nganda (Buganda chicken), Buganda is not the leading chicken keeping region of the country.
In fact, it is Bunyoro, Lango and Teso regions that keep the highest number of local chicken.
On the other hand, Buganda region dominates the hybrids with almost 90% of all hybrid chicken found in Buganda. Hybrid chicken are more expensive to keep, but pay quicker than local breeds.
They need a good shelter, quality (and expensive) feeds and drugs. If one is rearing broilers, they will pay back the costs of investments in two months, while a local chicken takes at least seven months to be ready for selling.
Market There is a ready market for chicken and chicken products across the country and in the region.
This is why irrespective of other factors, chicken prices have risen from an average 7,000 two years ago to around 10,000 at the moment for hybrids, and sh15,000 to 25,000 for local chicken.
Prices of eggs have risen from sh3,500 a tray two years ago to around sh6,000 at the moment.
One of the reasons chicken prices have gone up is the entry of the South Sudanese market.
Traders say chicken producers are not able to satisfy the market, hence the need for more investors in the sector.
Challenges There are serious challenges facing the industry. For example, there is a scarcity of raw materials for making the chicken feeds.
According to producers, there is scarcity of maize bran, cotton feeds and mukene (small silver fish), that has subsequently led to a sharp increase in prices.
