May 9, 2011

Pakistani poultry farms overproducing poultry

About 6,500 poultry farms in Pakistani are supplying more than enough chickens to meet demand, resulting in inefficiency and waste.

In Lahore, 2,500 farms are producing a supply of 1.6 million kg of chickens per day against a 0.7 million kg demand. This was revealed by speakers at a two-day workshop on "Environment Controlled Housing" at New Senate Hall of University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) on Thursday (May 5), organised by the Department of Poultry Science and Prof Dr. Iqrar Ahmed Khan, Vice Chancellor (VC) UAF.

Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmed said that poultry is now the second largest industry in the country after textiles, with an investment of more than PKR400 billion (US$4.65 billion) because of knowledge transferred to farmers. He said that it was a prerequisite to invest in marketing, supply chain, and other factors to market the commodity and to bring the industry on a par with developed nations.

Dean Faculty of Animal Husbandry, Dr. Muhammad Sarwar, announced a committee with the consent of Vice Chancellor Dr. Iqrar Ahmed Khan, to coordinate with farmers and redress their problems. He requested representatives of the poultry industry to become members of the committee.

Sultan Mahmood, Chairman Poultry Science Department UAF, said that the Department of Poultry Husbandry was established in 1961 with the establishment of West Pakistan Agriculture University, Lyallpur.

Haneef Arshad, a progressive farmer, said that increasing prices of feed were creating problems for poultry farmers. He said that Halal meat was in high demand across the globe and stressed the need to focus on its production. He said eggs were being exported to Afghanistan and Central Asia.

Habib-ur-Rehman, Production Controller from Olympia Group informed the audience about environment controlled housing, its evolution and the current situation in Pakistan.

Dr. Rana Sajjad, President Environment Controlled Housing Faisalabad, said that diplomas for controlled farm superiors should be launched in the university.

He stressed the need to set up an efficiency-based marketing system in the industry. He urged students to work with devotion in their studies and for the progress of the country, and also called upon students to focus on practical for success in their fields.