THE Poultry Association of Zambia (PAZ) has projected an output increase of 15 per cent in the country's broiler production next year.

PAZ executive director Mathews Ngosa said the 2013 output would be higher than 2012.

He said the increase would be more on a conservative side as it is based on the assumption that domestic growers would start to adjust their production in response to the expected high cost input supply market for 2013 as the soybean and maize supply chain was unpredictable.

Mr Ngosa said following the rapid increase in frozen poultry stocks and drastic increase in broiler meat cuts, the association had projected an upward swing for the domestic broiler production in the year 2013.

"According to the survey conducted as at November, it points out that there will be an increased number of broiler chicks placed and it pointed out a higher domestic broiler output than 2012," he said.

Over the last five years the poultry industry expanded by more than 100 per cent with a lot of investments committed in the modern operational infrastructure.

This has ensured self sufficiency in domestic production.

He said that the poultry industry had grown into an important sector and was the largest livestock sector in Zambia at the moment.

The industry is currently contributing 42 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of livestock agriculture and 25 per cent of the agricultural GDP.

Mr Ngosa said the industry had become more scientific and was continuously progressing towards modernisation.