October 6, 2011

Pakistan's poultry consumption rises to 767 million tonnes

Pakistan's poultry meat consumption increase by 239% in 11 years from 322 million tonnes in 1999/200 to 767 million tonnes in 2010/11, according to experts. 

At a seminar organised by Big Bird to commemorate its 20 years association with the global poultry giant Hubbard pioneer of poultry in Pakistan Dr Yaqoob Bhatti in his paper revealed that the value of poultry infrastructure exceeds INR300 billion (US$6.08) and annual turnover of commercial poultry is INR40(US$0.81) billion.

With 105 hatcheries, the annual broiler chick production is 820 million, adding that the commercial egg production is 8.69 billion per annum in addition to 3.74 million productions of rural eggs.

Pakistan Poultry Association former chairman Abdul Basit said that poultry is the cheapest source of animal protein not only in Pakistan, but all over the world. The average daily animal protein consumption in Pakistan is only 17 grams per capita, while the average minimum requirement is 27 grams.

There is a dire need to increase poultry production in the country that has largely grown without helpful government policies or facilitation, said Basit. The industry, for instance, has since long been demanding the government to disallow poultry farm clusters through a law as chicken farms at least 1.5km apart greatly reduce the risk of spread of diseases among various poultry flocks, he said.

He said his concern is to relocate its very large chicken farms each time when place was surrounded with many other farms too close to his farms. He has shifted his major high quality grand parent farms to Thar deserts. Dr Mustafa Kamal said that the consumption of mutton has declined rapidly, while that of beef and poultry has increased.

The share of poultry meat increased from 16.4% to 24.3%. The consumption of mutton declined from 0.65 million tonnes to 0.62 million tonnes, showing a fall of 20% in total meat consumption share.

Still, Pakistan as a meat eating country produces around 50% broiler chickens of those produced in India, which has seven times human population and has a good chance to develop grandparent breeding operations, which has an existing capacity of producing eight million parent stocks for domestic as well as for export purposes.

Olvier Behaghel of Hubbard France said that Pakistani poultry improved efficiencies rapidly during the last 20 year that has helped it control the cost. Maturing time of a broiler has reduced during this period from four days to 46 days and from 38 days to 40 days, he said.

The weight gain of the chick at the time of maturity has increased from 1.5-1.7kg to 1.9 to 2kg and feed consumption by the time of maturity has declined from 2.2-2.5kg to 1.7-1.9kg. "Pakistan is gradually reaching global and Hubbard standards in chicken health, morality and efficiency in productive processes."