The poultry farmers alleged that they have become hostage to the whims of a number of hatchery owners and feed producers' syndicate.

 

Hundreds of small scale poultry farm owners of the region are leading a miserable life by losing their capital as many cannot stand in the current competition for the final products due to limited production, alleged leaders of poultry farm industries association.

 

According to SM Doha, Barisal Divisional president of Poultry Industries Association, there were more than 9,000 large and small poultry farms in Barisal.

 

But half of these farms have been closed down during the last two years making at least 10,000 people unemployed due to continuous increase in price of chicks and the poultry feed.

 

They said after a joint meeting between the government high officials, hatchery and feed producing farm owners and poultry farmers on May 31, 2010 it was fixed that price of each one-day old broiler chick would be highest at BDT30 (US$0.41) and layer chicks highest at BDT31 (US$ 0.42) from June 1, 2010.

 

However Usha, Aftab and CP Bangladesh Hatchery are still selling per piece layer chick at BDT40-60 (US$0.54-0.81) and broiler chick at BDT35-40 (US$0.47-0.54) in spite of the decision.

 

Poultry farm owners' association leaders further said price of poultry feed produced by Biswas Feed, Aftab Feed, Usha Feed, Kazi Feed and Advanced Feed has been increased by BDT30-40 (US$0.41-0.54) per sack (50kg).

 

Per sack feed for layer chicks has increased to BDT1,400 (US$18.92) from BDT950 (US$12.84) and per sack of feed for broiler chicks has increased to BDT1,700 (US$22.98) from BDT1,100 (US$14.87) within a span of a year and prices of poultry medicines have also increased within 10-20% this period, the poultry owners said.

 

Leaders of Barisal Poultry Feed and Chick Sellers' Association, acknowledging the facts said the producers increased the poultry feed price due to price hike of corn in local and international market and they have nothing to do in this regard.