Poultry Industry Association of Malawi (Piam) Monday said continued export of the beans, which are the main ingredient in the production of chicken feeds, would jeopardise the local industry.

The association chairman Alexander Stewart said the current trend was harmful to the economy as it was allowing foreign feed producers to import at lower price and treble the selling price.

He said a 50 kg bag of imported chicken feed was at K2 500 adding that the price would be lower if the produce was locally produced, a development he observed would bring down the price of dressed chickens.

“We can produce the feeds within Malawi at an affordable price instead of getting higher prices for products using our own Soya beans,” Stewart said.

He added that there was competition among local traders for the legume.