BPA seeks to save the industry

Staff Reporter :
The Bangladesh Poultry Association (BPA), an organization for rural poultry firm owners, has sought to save the industry.
In a press release, BPA President Suman Hawladar said the rural poultry farmers are declining as they could not afford loss subsequently.
It said the production cost of an egg is Tk 10.50, the farmer sells it at Tk 7 to Tk8.40. Production cost of one kg of broiler chicken is Tk 145 to Tk150 whereas it is sold at Tk110-125.
If the farmers are not sustained, the country will soon face a shortage of meat, the market, the market of eggs and chicken will be monopolized by corporate companies. All farmers are closing their farms. Marginalized people are becoming indebted. So measures should be taken now to sustain the farmers Suman Hawladar added.
Press release said that pricing of all kinds of poultry products by the government is determined in coordination with the cost of production.
A group is controlling the egg and chicken market through Facebook page and mobile SMS. Due to this, marginal poultry farmers are facing losses and the farms are constantly closing down.
In June 2021, the price of one bag of poultry feed of 50 kg was Tk 2,200, the price of one kg of broiler chicken was Tk120-130. The price of 1 egg was Tk 8 to Tk8.50. And now the price of one bag of feed is Tk3200 to Tk3500. Now farmers are getting Tk110-120 for one kg broiler chicken and Tk7-8 for per peace egg.
The farmers are closing down the business without getting fair price. Although the price of feed has increased, the price of chicken and eggs has not increased at the farm level. Even after that, the government has no eye on the poultry farmers. Meanwhile, if the government does not pay attention, the marginal farmers will soon fall, the poultry industry will be destroyed.
However, the officials of the Department of Livestock do not care. They may try after an industry is over. Now there is no one to see the farmers cry. Corporate companies produce all types of feed and one day old chicks. They also produce ready chicken and eggs.
It is thus the production of marginal farmers is high and the production cost of corporate companies is low. Hence the marginal farmers are closing down the farms as they are unable to compete with the corporate companies.
In 2009, there were 1.60 lakh poultry farms, now it has closed down to 60 thousand. If this continues, there will be no marginal farmers in the future. The egg and chicken market will be monopolized by corporate companies. Poultry industry has been taken over by the mafia.
It is now the government’s duty to restore order in the poultry industry and sustain marginal farmers by setting up a Poultry Board.