Is the poultry sector heading for the abyss?
Wednesday, 24 September 2008
Whether we realise it or not, the poultry sector of the country is facing disaster. Reports of the grim situation have been highlighted by the media. About 220 billion takas had been invested in the sector. Currently, that investment has come down to 100 billion takas. The bird flu scare resulted in the destruction of poultry birds worth 40 billion takas all over the country. The twin curse of avian flu and the rising price of poultry feed were directly responsible in the closing down of 0.21 million poultry farms.
Only a year ago, poultry feed at the soybean mills cost Tk 17 per Kg. Now it is Tk 45 per kg. The mithrimin that cost Tk 160 per kg is now selling at Tk 500 per kg. According to a FAO report, the worldwide cost of poultry feed has gone up by 32%.
About 70 thousand farms are on the verge of closing down or at least are in a very bad shape.
There are about 0.4 million poultry farms in the country. About 5 million people are directly or indirectly involved with these farms.
According to reports, just before the bird flu scare hit the country, the poultry sector produced 76.5 million eggs daily. That has come down to 15 million!
Even though bird flu vaccine is available abroad, it is reported that our government is not giving permission for its import. Why? The reason given, and this is extraordinary, is that if import of the vaccine is allowed, then bird flu would be a permanent feature in our country and also that one cannot be sure of the effectiveness of the vaccine imported!
Also because of the catastrophe brought on by the bird flu and rising cost of feed, banks are shy to give loans to the poultry farms.
A time will come when we will be dependant on smuggled eggs. They say already eggs are coming in from India through the border illegally at Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Sherpur and Sylhet. The next step will be import of eggs if we are to survive.
I think the government should immediately take a hard look at the poultry sector and do whatever must be done to revive it lest it reaches a position from which it will find it very hard to recover.
Mozammel Haq
Savar
Only a year ago, poultry feed at the soybean mills cost Tk 17 per Kg. Now it is Tk 45 per kg. The mithrimin that cost Tk 160 per kg is now selling at Tk 500 per kg. According to a FAO report, the worldwide cost of poultry feed has gone up by 32%.
About 70 thousand farms are on the verge of closing down or at least are in a very bad shape.
There are about 0.4 million poultry farms in the country. About 5 million people are directly or indirectly involved with these farms.
According to reports, just before the bird flu scare hit the country, the poultry sector produced 76.5 million eggs daily. That has come down to 15 million!
Even though bird flu vaccine is available abroad, it is reported that our government is not giving permission for its import. Why? The reason given, and this is extraordinary, is that if import of the vaccine is allowed, then bird flu would be a permanent feature in our country and also that one cannot be sure of the effectiveness of the vaccine imported!
Also because of the catastrophe brought on by the bird flu and rising cost of feed, banks are shy to give loans to the poultry farms.
A time will come when we will be dependant on smuggled eggs. They say already eggs are coming in from India through the border illegally at Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Sherpur and Sylhet. The next step will be import of eggs if we are to survive.
I think the government should immediately take a hard look at the poultry sector and do whatever must be done to revive it lest it reaches a position from which it will find it very hard to recover.
Mozammel Haq
Savar