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Mr. Kwadwo Asante, Chairman of the Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers, on Monday appealed to government to create a buffer stock of yellow corn to help protect the poultry industry. He said the current upsurge in the prices of the commodity on the open market is not only worrying, but also placing financially a burden on farmers that could have rippling effects on consumers. Mr. Asante, who was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, (GNA) after a meeting of members with Vice President John Dramani Mahama at the Castle, Osu, said 125 kilogrammes of yellow corn, which sold at GH�60.00 in March is now selling at GH�100.00. He said although prices of their product (chicken) had not changed as a result of the high cost of poultry feed, farmers will be compelled to do so in the coming weeks if the trend continues. The National Chairman said creating a buffer stock of yellow corn would provide an opportunity for all-year-round supply to farmers to perform their work smoothly. Mr. Asante said apart from a stiff competition from imported chicken - which is comparatively cheaper on the market, there are other challenges such as high cost of vaccines, feeds and day-old chicks. "We the farmers in the industry believe it is better to eat our chicken that is healthy and comparatively expensive to eating cheaper chicken, the safety of which you cannot be sure." He said his outfit will soon meet with the Vice President and all other stakeholders to fashion out better ways of sustaining the industry.