The average annual consumption is 17,050mt, and the average annual import is 17,000mt during recent years, which accounts for 99% of the total chicken consumption and 90% of the total meat import in Samoa.
The average chicken retail price increased by 113% in Samoa, i.e, from WST 3.10/kg to WST 6.61/kg, causing substantial extra costs for the customer.
The main constraints of chicken production in Samoa include the lack of chicks, feed, technology and veterinary services, etc. The current demand for free-range chicken in Samoa is estimated as 80,000 birds/year. Many local people and tourists prefer the taste of free-range “Samoa Chicken”.
The Government of Samoa has been working with development partners to support the domestic poultry industry, especially at the community level.
The Samoa-China Agriculture Technical Aid Project (SCATAP) successfully developed a complete value chain of free-range broilers in 2022, including a breeder farm, hatchery, brooder house, feed mill, and six broiler farmers.
The annual production capacity has reached 10,000 birds. The SCATAP Feed Mill is the only feed mill in Samoa currently. The capacity is about 1000 tons/year. Formular pellet feed is processed for broilers at different stages. It could be used to
processed feed for pigs and tilapia too.
In order to reduce the cost of feed and generate income for crop farmers, a number of feed crops are grown on the SCATAP Demonstration Farm, including cassava, mulberry, corn and soybean.
The capacity of the hatchery is 3000 eggs each time. SCATAP build a grower house of 90 m2 and a fence for each of the 6 model farmers.
The six plantations for free-range chicken are at least 1 acre and raise 500 birds at once.
A total of 5752 chicks and 10000 kg formula feed for boilers were distributed to farmers, and more than 1000 birds have been marketed or consumed by farmers up to the end of June 2023.
The free-range broilers could reach 1.5 kg in 4 months period.
The taste is good, and the economic return for farmers is encouraging with different funding resources to benefit more people.
SCATAP is currently extending the free-range chicken technology to more than 100 farmers and is ready to cooperate with funding resources to benefit more people.
