Poultry farms face huge loss over low price of eggs

LALMONIRHAT, Feb 11: Over a thousand small and big poultry farms in five upazilas of Lalmonirhat district have been facing a huge loss due to the low price of eggs over the last few months.

According to the District Livestock Office, Lalmonirhat, there are around 1,000-1,200 poultry farms in the district, of which 40-50 big and small layer firms are in Sadar Upazila. Each farm has 2,000-5,000 chickens.

Prodip Roy, owner of Prodip Poultry, located at Telipara village under Sadar, said he closed his farm due to various risk factors like lower price of eggs and cost of feed.

Prodip said that the cost of producing per piece egg is Tk 8.50 to Tk 9. But, farm owners have been selling eggs apiece at Tk 7.30-7.70 to the retailer. Consumers are buying per piece at Tk 8.

Since the last few weeks, per piece of egg is being sold at Tk 7.50 to Tk 8, this correspondent found while visiting some local markets. Anowar Hosen, a retailer of Senamoitry Market in Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila said that farmers are incurring a huge loss.

Abdur Rahim, owner of Jinat Poultry farm, said they may have to shutdown their farm due to the low price of eggs and had to reduce the number of layers to 10,000 from 14,000 because of the current situation. Rahim said that the current retail price of egg per piece is at Tk 7.20 to 7.50.

On average, chickens of a farm usually lay eggs at 80-90 per cent of their known ability, and currently the cost of producing eggs per piece in this scenario is at Tk 8.50-9, according to a farm owner. Over time, the production rate falls to 60 per cent, and the cost of producing eggs rises as a result.

Many small farmers closed their layer farm due to the lower price as a high price of feed has frustrated farmers.

Aynal Haque, owner of Shiampoultry farm at Shakowa Bazar in Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila, said he has incurred Tk 400,000 loss last month.

Currently, he has 12,500 layers in his farm and has been continuing to face a huge loss due to the lower price of eggs.

The price will fall further during Ramadan as most of the hotel and restaurants will remain closed during day time. Farm owners urged the authorities concerned to look into the matter, otherwise the young population dependent on the industry will be badly affected.

Monjur Alom, president of Lalmonirhat District Poultry Farm Owners Association, said that the situation had been very alarming for them for the past few months. "The owners of small farms have been facing extinction-threat. Many of them took bank loan, which is now a burden for them.

Dr Jahangir Alam, district livestock officer, Lalmonirhat, said, "Egg price falling at this time of the year is normal." He added that commercial duck farming in the rural areas has contributed to the lower price of chicken eggs.

ahasnathrana@yahoo.com