Bangladesh pushes poultry price watch

The Bangladesh Poultry Farm Protection National Council (BPFPNC) demanded Tuesday (June 22) to ensure that the poultry sale is at the price set by the government to protect the industry.

The organisation claimed that the animal/wildlife resources directorate asked the hatchery owners to sell one-day old layer chicks at BDT 32 (US$0.46) and broiler at BDT 30 (US$0.43).

The decision was to be made effective from June 15 but the hatchery owners are defying the government order.

"At present production cost of a red egg is BDT 5.54 (US$0.08) while the poultry farmers are selling it for BDT 4.20 (US$0.06). The farmers are getting BDT 1 (US$0.01) less on average over the last 10 months,'' Mohsin said.

"The farmers are selling four eggs for BDT 16.80-17.60 (US$0.24-0.25) while the consumers across the country including Dhaka are buying them for BDT 24-28 (US$0.34-0.40)," he said.

He said the consumers are paying more for lack of effective market monitoring measure. He also said poultry sector had been ignored in the proposed budget as their demands for reduction of vat and scrapping of advance income tax payment were ignored.