Tajikistan approves draft on poultry law

The lower house of the Tajik parliament approved a draft law last week to expand the country's poultry industry.

Presenting the draft law, Minister of Agriculture Kosim Kosimov noted that the government has adopted a State Program for poultry development, according to which all 18 poultry enterprises should be restored.

The law on poultry includes principles for the industry's development. The programme for poultry development through 2015 provides for the increase in egg production to 600 million eggs, an increase in the number of poultry farms, production of chicken meat and eggs, as well as training staff for the industry.

Kosimov noted that currently, 45% of chicken meat and eggs are imported.

According to Muzafar Mirzoyev, head of the Cattle Breeding Department under the Ministry of Agriculture, an enterprise for poultry meat production will soon be put into operation. The enterprise will be located in the Khatlon region, and will be established in cooperation with Iran. The enterprises capacity in the first stage will total 300 tonnes of poultry meat per year.