When power cuts, Sylhet’s poultry farmers count losses

The poultry industry in Sylhet has been facing a severe crisis as scorching temperatures and prolonged power outages are causing chicken deaths, reducing egg production and pushing marginal farmers toward financial ruin.

Farmers say electricity is available for only 10 to 12 hours a day in many areas. The prolonged outages are making it difficult to maintain the required temperature and ventilation inside poultry sheds.

As a result, chicks and mature chickens are increasingly suffering from heat stress and, in some cases, dying from heatstroke.

Many small-scale farmers, already struggling with rising production costs, are now being forced to spend additional money on generators and fuel to keep their farms running. Some farms are reportedly on the verge of shutting down as losses continue to mount.

According to the Sylhet district office of the Department of Livestock Services, there are 4,490 poultry farms across the Sylhet division. Of these, 3,892 are broiler farms and 599 are layer farms.

Sylhet district alone has 1,165 poultry farms, including 945 broiler farms producing meat and 220 layer farms producing eggs.

District Livestock Officer Dr Ranjit Kumar Achar said poultry production in the district had declined by at least 10 percent because of the combined effects of extreme heat and load shedding. He said egg production had also fallen by 10 to 20 percent.

“Heat and load shedding have caused serious problems for poultry farms in the district,” he said.
According to Sylhet Power Development Board sources, electricity demand in Sylhet was 247 megawatts on Monday, while 202 megawatts were supplied from the national grid, leaving a deficit of 45 megawatts.

On Sunday, demand stood at 233 megawatts against a supply of 177 megawatts, resulting in a shortage of 56 megawatts.

Ali Hossain, owner of Ali Poultry Farm in Tetli Union of South Surma, said his chickens were suffering from heatstroke because of the extreme temperatures and frequent power cuts.

“We are trying to prevent heatstroke by running a generator,” he said.
However, the additional cost of fuel is putting further pressure on his business.

“Production is being disrupted because of load shedding. Costs are increasing while income is falling. If this continues, it will become difficult to sustain the farm,” he said.

According to Hossain, the cost of producing one kilogram of broiler chicken currently ranges from Tk 130 to Tk 145, while the birds are being sold at around Tk 140 per kilogram.

“Some chickens are also dying. As a result, we are having to bear losses,” he said.
“We farmers will benefit if initiatives are taken to ensure an uninterrupted power supply and reduce the price of poultry feed,” Hossain added.

Shahedur Rahman Shahed, former general secretary of the Sylhet District Poultry Traders Association, said the crisis was affecting both farmers and traders.

“Chickens are suffering because of the extreme heat. Egg production has declined due to load shedding, and chickens are sometimes dying as well. As a result, both poultry owners and traders are facing losses,” he said.

“If this situation continues, traders will suffer even greater losses,” he added.

Sylhet District Livestock Officer Rafiqul Islam advised farmers to take measures to protect poultry from excessive heat.

“During summer, chickens should be kept in relatively cool and well-ventilated places. They should also be provided with adequate saline and drinking water. Proper biosecurity measures should be maintained to ensure the safety of poultry feed,” he said.

He stressed that proper management would be essential to protecting poultry farms during periods of extreme heat.

Meanwhile, Chief Engineer of the Sylhet Power Development Board Imam Hossain said the current power shortage was part of a nationwide crisis.

“There is currently a power crisis across the country. The electricity allocated from the national grid is distributed among customers,” he said.

“If supply from the national grid increases, load shedding will decrease. However, when there is a shortfall in supply, load shedding becomes unavoidable,” he added.

Farmers say the poultry industry in Sylhet will struggle to survive unless the power situation improves quickly. They have demanded uninterrupted electricity for poultry farms during the extreme heat, as well as measures to reduce production costs, particularly the price of poultry feed and generator fuel.

They have also called for Sylhet to be declared a load-shedding-free area and urged the authorities to take urgent steps to ensure a stable power supply.

For thousands of poultry farmers in the region, the issue is no longer simply one of production-it has become a question of survival.