As is the case with other industries, the country’s poultry industry will have to count a loss of Tk 1150 crore due to the 16-day general holiday announced by the government to halt the spread of pandemic coronavirus (COVID- 19). Confirming this on Tuesday, Bangladesh Poultry Industries Central Council (BPICC) said, due to the nationwide lockdown poultry farmers and entrepreneurs are unable to market their products, resulting in continuous price drop. Day by day, the amount of loss is increasing.
Besides, due to the shutdown of the country’s only Poultry Research and Training Center (PRTC) under the supervision of the Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, poultry industries’ raw materials cannot be unloaded from the port, it said. If this trend continues to prolong, the progress of the industry can be hampered, it added. BPICC president Moshiur Rahman said, “The government's measures to prevent public outcry, the presence of buyers from the wholesale market to the retail market has greatly reduced. Broiler chicken, one-day-old chick and egg prices have decreased greatly. Production of poultry and fish feed has declined by 70-75 percent.
“One-day old chick price has now stood at Tk 1, where the production cost is Tk 35. Besides, poultry processed products sale has declined by 95 percent. As a result, the poultry industry is already facing a devastating crisis”, he added. About the losses of the industry, Moshiur said, “We have calculated the overall scenario, if the general holidays continue till April 4, the industry will have to face Tk 1150 crore loss and if the holidays continue for another week the loss will be Tk 1650 crore”.
“If the situation does not improve, the amount of loss will be approximately Tk 100 crore daily. Moreover, even when the situation becomes normal, it will take at least a month to get back to the old face of the industry”, he further added. Breeders Association of Bangladesh (BAB) president Rakibur Rahman Tutulsaid that the loss of the breeders and hatchery industry is at least Tk 458 crore while Feed Industries Association of Bangladesh (FIAB) president Ihtesham B Shahjahan said their industry is also counting loss of more than Tk 75 crore.
However, BPICC seeks government assistance for the industry. These include waiving of bank interest for the next six months, total waiving of port demurrage of raw materials, distribution of chickens and eggs through government assistant amonggeneral people, providing of 30 percent incentives, promoting of positive propaganda for egg, milk, fish and meat in public and private media and other outlets.
