The government has rejected a proposal to import roughly 200,000 tonnes of cattle meat, prioritising the protection of the domestic livestock sector, according to sources.
The Department of Livestock Services (DLS) opposed the Ministry of Commerce's proposal to allow beef and buffalo meat imports, citing concerns about hindering local market growth.
On a proposal from 18 private firms to import halal meat from neighbouring countries, the commerce ministry recently sought the opinion of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (MoFL). These firms requested approval for a record import of over 194,000 tonnes of halal beef and buffalo meat.
Officials confirmed that the fisheries and livestock ministry forwarded the commerce ministry's letter to the DLS for assessment. The DLS expressed concerns that importing frozen meat could harm the country's developing meat market.
The department also raised potential biosecurity risks, fearing the introduction of harmful transboundary animal and zoonotic diseases.
Dr Md Emdadul Haque Talukder, director general of DLS, mentioned in his response that educated youth are increasingly involved in cattle rearing. Allowing meat imports could directly harm domestic meat production and potentially lead to farm closures.
He warned that institutional farmers, marginal farmers and individuals returning from abroad or the private sector have also turned to cattle rearing during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Local cattle farmers largely agree that Bangladesh has achieved self-sufficiency in cow, goat and sheep production.
The country has 68,777 registered cattle farms, along with 42 buffalo farms, 8,953 goat and sheep farms and 86,280 poultry farms.
This sustains a livestock population of 24.8 million cows, 0.15 million buffaloes, 0.38 million sheep, 26.9 million goats and 380 million poultry birds. Over 681,532 cow farms specifically focus on producing high-quality meat.
About 40-45 per cent of the country's total meat production comes from poultry. From 2015 to 2023, it has been possible to meet a hundred per cent of the demand for sacrificial animals from domestically produced cattle.
On February 11, 2018, the country achieved self-sufficiency by producing meat at the rate of 120 grams per person/day.
The decision taken by the government is very good. The local rearers and raisers of cattle would face huge losses and challenges if the government could aprove to import such meat, they add. Bangladesh has met its full demand for sacrificial animals during Eid-ul-Azha between 2015 and 2023.
Some 14.1 million sacrificial animals slaughtered in the last Eid ul Azha observed in the current 2023. It produced 8.71 million tonnes of meat against the national demand for 7.60 -million tonnes in the last financial year (FY) 2022-23.
Meat production here has increased seven times in the last 14-years.
An estimated more than 2.0 million Bangladeshis and 0.5 million families are involved with cattle farming.
A large volume of money has been invested at private and public levels with an eye to exporting local meat.
Currently, Bangladesh exports meat to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Dubai, the Maldives etc. The government has kicked off a disease-free zoning project with intent to eliminate foot and peste des petits ruminants (PPR) from the local cattle.
The DSL's opinion was sought in light of a request from a private firm on the import of Halal cow and buffalo meat, a high official of the ministry said.
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