Business Desk :
Bangladesh is self-sufficient in eggs and meat production as it can supply adequate protein against the current demand, claim this by poultry industry leaders and researchers at a roundtable discussion in Dhaka on Wednesday.
The local companies are taking preparation to export their products after fulfilling the domestic demand, they said in roundtable on Poultry Industry-Media Cooperation at the National Press Club in Dhaka.
The discussants recommended enhancing cooperation between the poultry entrepreneurs and the media for building a brand image of the industry.
The Bangladesh Poultry Industry Coordination Committee (BPICC) organised the roundtable discussion where Additional Research Director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Dr Khandker Golam Moazzem presented a keynote.
Moderated by the Head of News of the Jamuna Television Zakaria Kajol, Editor-in-Chief of the Boishakhi Television Manjarul Ahsan Bulbul was present as the chief guest. The programme was attended by the Daily Dhaka Tribune Editor Jafar Sobhan, Joint Editor of the Daily Prothom Alo Sohrab Hossain were also attended as the special guests with Moshiur Rahman, Convenor of the BPICC, in the chair.
The CPD researcher Dr Moazzam said the poultry industry alone have a contribution of nearly one percent to the gross domestic product (GDP), Tk 25,000 crore investment, 600,000 employments and supply of adequate protein against the present demand.
Although the poultry industry is the second largest job creation sector in Bangladesh after the ready-made garment, it is still neglected.
He urged the government to set up a separate “Poultry Board” for the local industry. Dr Moazzem has also laid emphasis on formation of a data bank to help the media and other stakeholders.
The researcher said although the national consumption has been boosted to Tk 8,600 crore annually in last year 2013 from that of Tk 5,700 crore in 2010, this sector hasn’t get adequate policy support from the government.
Journalist Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul said although the locally poultry industry is an important sector, it is still neglected.
“Since the contribution of this sector is very important to Bangladesh’s economy, the cooperation between the industry and media is imperative.”
The industry should work to enhance its capacity and skill in addition to grab the export market across the globe.
Zafor Sobhan, Editor of the Daily Dhaka Tribune, said since the poultry sector is one of the important contributor to the economy, the media should focus more on its problems, success and challenges. He urged the government to frame a policy which would protect the local industry.
Sohrab Hossain of the Daily Prothom Alo urged the government to change its policy on the struggling local poultry sector. He urged the industry people to boost communication with the media to flourish the industry.
Director of the Kazi Farm Kazi Zahin Hasan said if the media check with the poultry industry people before writing a report it can avoid mistakes or partial mistakes.
Moshir Rahman said the investment in the poultry industry has so far crossed Tk 25,000 crore-mark which could be boosted to Tk 50,000 crore by the year 2030 if the government facilitate it.
Saidur Rahman Babu of the Bangladesh Breeders Association (BBA) said some 1500 metric ton of poultry meat is being produced against the daily demand of 1400MT daily, 1.60 crore pieces of eggs against the demand for 1.50 pieces.
“The poultry farmers are selling eggs at Tk 5.50 to Tk 5.75 per piece against the production cost of Tk 6.50. Thus the poultry industry is facing losses in recent years,” he said.
BBA president Fazle Rahim Khan Shahriar said the annual commercial production of the poultry feed in Bangladesh is nearly 20 lakh MT against the demand for 22 lakh MT.
The poultry industry people said the meat and the eggs in the poultry industry is fully safe for the daily meal.
