November 10, 2022
 

Bangladeshi traders seek approval to import 510 million eggs from India

Traders in Bangladesh are seeking government approval to import 510 million eggs from India to cope with a current egg shortage in the country, even though local output is sufficient to meet demand, The Financial Express reported.

 

Local poultry farmers voiced their concern about the import proposal during a hearing. They said if the government permits egg imports, it would be suicidal for the local poultry industry because its growth would be severely hampered.

 

They also recommended implementing a long-term strategy to address the current shortage of eggs.

 

According to officials, a number of trading companies with offices in Dhaka, including Popular Trade Syndicate, Rip Enterprise, Ahmed Business and Commerce, Tiger Trading, Sazzad Enterprise, and Save and Safety International, recently asked the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) to permit the import of eggs in accordance with the law.

 

The businesses claimed they wanted to import eggs to fill the current supply gap and help stabilise the local market's rising price.

 

Bangladesh's Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (MoFL) was already forwarded the letters from the traders by the MoC, asking it to make the necessary recommendations in this regard.

 

The officials, some government officials favour allowing egg imports while others oppose them in order to protect the domestic poultry industry.

 

Sumon Howlader, president of the Bangladesh Poultry Association (BPA), said The government shouldn't approve the egg import proposal, even if it correctly follows the current policy.

He also said the government should stop fixing egg prices by major producers. Some poultry companies have shut down because of egg price manipulation by the big producers.

 

The BPA president noted that excessive feed prices levied by the various feed companies in question have resulted in eggs being sold in the local market at higher prices, and urged the government to import feeds for the domestic poultry industry.

 

Bangladesh's Department of Livestock said the nation's annual egg production increased to 23.35 billion pieces in the most recent fiscal year 2021–2022, compared to the established annual target of 22.66 billion pieces.

 

However, the nation is unlikely to meet the goal set to produce 23.15 billion eggs in the current fiscal year. Only 5.97 billion eggs were produced till September - due to shutdown of a number of poultry firms.

 

-      The Financial Express