June 6, 2007

Pakistan's poultry industry seeks 10-year tax exemption

Pakistan's Poultry Association (Punjab Zone) has urged the government to give its poultry industry income tax exemption for 10 years in order to attract new investors and ensure availability of poultry products.

Pakistan Poultry Association (Punjab Zone) Chairman Shahid Mahmood Dar and Abdul Basit said poultry industry leaders have floated recommendations for the forthcoming budget for their industry. They also want electricity tariff given to some sectors of agriculture to be granted to poultry farms.

Among the demands were also subsidy on the export of poultry products, a 25-percent to the exporters of eggs and day-old-chicks, and duty-free import of grandparent stock and poultry medicine which are not locally produced.

They also requested that licensing fees and certification feew be lowered,

The association also called for special grants and interest free loans for farmers as the poultry industry had been seriously affected last year on account of the bird flu rumours.