February 7, 2023

 

Poultry association blames large poultry farms in Bangladesh for price hikes of chicken, eggs

 

 

 

The Bangladesh Poultry Association said on February 6 that large poultry farms in the country were responsible for the recent hike in prices of broiler chickens and eggs, which badly affected marginal poultry farmers.

 

The association made the allegation at a press conference held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity in Dhaka. It said that the large farms, being sole producers of poultry feed and broiler chicks, set prices of the two items in their interests.

 

According to Elias Khandkar, general secretary of the BPA, large farms raised the prices of chicks when marginal farmers collected broiler chicks for their farms.

 

Elias said that large farms also produced broiler meat and eggs through contract farmers. Additionally, the farms also sell poultry feed at different prices to contract and marginal farmers, which increases the marginal farmers' production costs.

 

Sumon Hawladar, president of the BPA, said that since the large farms' production costs of broiler chickens and eggs were lower, the farms could sell the products at lower prices. Thus, marginal farmers are forced to sell their products at a losing price, he claimed.

 

He said that many marginal farmers closed their farms due to the high production costs. Out of 1,50,000 farms, around 60,000 farms are now operating business in the country.

 

The BPA urged the government to monitor the market to save marginal farmers as they produce 90% of broiler chickens and eggs in the country.

 

A senior official of CP Bangladesh said that the prices of chicks had increased as  the demand for chicks had risen sharply recently with the prices of broiler chickens soaring.

 

"We had to count losses a couple of months ago as the demand was very low then," the official said. "The situation had forced us to sell parent stock at that time. So, the production of chicks is low now, but the demand is high."

 

As for selling poultry feed at different prices, he said that the farm sold feed at a lower rate to contract farmers as they were directly involved with the farm.

 

- New Age