FBCCI wants to import broiler chicken, beef

Staff Reporter :
“How the price of broiler chicken increase by Tk 100 per kg in just 30 days? If this situation persists, the government should go for imports”, FBCCI president, Md Jasim Uddin said this during a media briefing on Thursday.
Expressing deep concern regarding continuous price hike of broiler chicken and beef ahead of Ramadan, FBCCI president said, the broiler chicken now sells at record price of Tk 280 per kg and if the government thinks import of the poultry to calm down the price then it should move on.
‘If UAE can sell beef at Tk500 per kg by importing it, then why should we buy locally produced beef at such a higher price?”
Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), the apex trade body, chief said this during a media briefing on the current market prices of commodities ahead of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan at the federation office.
Previously, The Bangladesh government stopped the import of frozen meat to protect local cattle farmers and help the domestic livestock.
FBCCI president said, if it is the case that the local industry can’t provide beef and broiler chicken at an affordable price, then the concern ministry should lift the ban to allow imports for an interim period.
To ensure affordable price of beef and broiler chicken, imported meat is an effective solution and if people cannot buy products at a fair price, Md Jasim Uddin finds no reason to carry about the industry.
FBCCI will take no responsibility for any dishonest traders, he added.
Mostofa Azad Chowdhury, the FBCCI Senior Vice-President, in the same discussion meeting confirmed that there are ample stocks of daily commodities including sugar and edible oil along with sufficient products in the pipeline. As there were
some irregularities in the Eid market last year, no chaos will be allowed to repeat this year.
FBCCI Vice-President MA Momen, Amin Helaly, Director M.G.R. Nasir Majumder,Hafez Harun, President of Bangladesh Shop Owners Association Helal Uddin and others were present at the meeting.