July 27, 2007

Pakistan's poultry sector in the market for better housing for chickens

Pakistan's poultry farms are demanding that the government provide them with incentives to import environmentally controlled housing for broilers and layers.

The soft loans and provision of land on easy lease installment would bring significant changes to the industry and help future export of chilled, frozen and processed poultry products, the Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) Chief Convener, Abdul Maroof Siddiqui told the country's Daily Times.

The demands were in line with the government's stated aim of developing the government's poultry industry, he said.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz previously said government incentives would enable the country to develop the poultry industry and overcome the current meat shortage, help provide job opportunities and control rising meat prices.

Siddiqui said it would be beneficial for the industry if the government would encourage environmentally controlled housing for broilers and layers as such modern technologies would help the rise of a integrated production and processing system. He added it would accelerate growth in the country's chicken sector from the present 12 percent to 20 percent annually.

Other purchases which would aid the farm sector include feeders, drinkers, environmentally sheds and implements and equipment for modernisation of dairy farming in the major farming areas of the country, he added.

Pakistan's poultry companies are currently talking to equipment suppliers in Holland, Italy, Germany and other European countries for such equipment, he added.