Dr. Syed Nesar Ahmad Rumy :
We know chicken is one of the prime sources of protein in Bangladesh. And it is acceptable to the all communities irrespective of caste, creed and religion. People in our country rear this sort of poultry bird in their homesteads in traditional way. Up to the decade of eighties people were habituated in this traditional way of rearing. But after that Layer and Broiler and later Sonali chicken occupied the chicken market and those species are flooded in the markets throughout Bangladesh. Since nineties of last century poultry has become a booming industry in Bangladesh rearing broiler, layer and Sonali. The price of those chickens is comparatively much lower than that of local varieties chickens. So people buy these varieties of chickens for their consumptions. Though the taste of these varieties are not as like as those of local varieties. People like taste of local varieties of chicken and eggs but the price is comparatively higher than broiler, layer and sonali.
Almost all the restaurant owners in Dhaka and other big cities are used to buy sonali and broiler for their business and in the most of the bridal and other social functions sonali poultry birds are used for the preparation of different curries. As sonali poultry birds look like local varieties chicken, many of us cannot differentiate local and sonali chickens (widely known as cock or Pakistani). But the taste of these two varieties is not similar. One can easily distinguish or identify the taste of these two types of poultry birds. Nowadays broiler and sonali chickens are occupying major market share of poultries in Bangladesh. And the eggs from layer have occupied almost eighty percent of market share. But still people look for local varieties chickens and eggs. Recently local varieties chickens and eggs are very much scarce in the markets. Supply of these kinds of eggs and chickens became very limited. The local eggs are a bit smaller in size than that of farm produced eggs from layers. The taste of local variety eggs is considered much better than eggs from layers. In reality local variety chickens are of very much liked by a large number of people and they want to procure those but the supply is limited. For that reason in the market these eggs and chickens are scarce and of high price items.
The local varieties of chickens, in general, are fostered in indigenous or traditional way. People generally keep ten to twenty chickens in their homesteads in the villages. They culture these chickens for their own consumptions and commercial purposes in limited scale. In the village areas all the individual families keep local varieties in general. The kitchen market in Dhaka get supply of major portion of local varieties chickens supplied from mainly North Bengal area.
For that reason we have some responsibilities for the development of local varieties of chickens, we know this chicken is not grown to the size of as big as broiler or turkey and it gives ten to twelve eggs in one spell. Many of us can think that rearing this chicken is comparatively not viable economically like broiler, layer, sonali and turkey. But it is our indigenous variety and the taste of this chicken is considered much better to many of us. In this point of view it has very good prospect for commercialization if we can reduce the price of this item considerably. Promoting indigenous varieties along with the broiler, layer, sonali and turkey is now demand of the time. We need uninterrupted supply of poultry bird’s protein with reasonable price so that middle class and lower middle class and even the poor can buy their required protein for smooth and healthy life. Proper protein intake by mass people can create a contribution to build the healthy nation.
In this respect some steps may be taken to promote and develop our local poultry birds and those steps are as following:
a. Integration of research work between government research institutions and universities;
b. Steps have to be taken for scientific farming of local poultry birds along with the traditional homestead farming;
c. Protective measures should be taken from the epidemic situation like bird flu and other common diseases of local poultry;
d. We know local poultry bird is an item of high price but the taste is also attractive. For that reason steps have to be taken for smooth marketing and promotion of these varieties.
If the above mentioned steps are to be taken by the appropriate authority the present situation of this species might be changed. Government institutions, universities with the policy support of the government are badly needed for the development and promotion of local poultry birds in Bangladesh. The high-ups of the government and policy makers should address this issue for the betterment of local varieties of poultry birds in Bangladesh.
(Dr. Rumy is a retired civil servant).
