Economic Reporter :
Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) President Abdul Matlub Ahmad on Wednesday demanded for disbursing single digit loan for the entrepreneurs with a view to facilitating the sector.
“More investment is needed for the expansion of the local poultry industry to achieve vision 2021 of the government”, said the FBCCI President while speaking at the inaugural session of a workshop on “The challenge of animal protein demand by 2021: Public-private policy planning” at Krishibid Institution Bangladesh in the city.
Bangladesh Poultry Industries Coordination Committee (BPICC) was organized the daylong workshop.
Matlub Ahmad declared that the FBCCI would provide the necessary support for the further expansion of the sector. He urged the government to come forward to help its development. He called upon the government to announce Bangladesh a bird-flue-free zone aimed at creating opportunities to export the poultry products outside the country.
The FBCCI President underscored the need for bringing the poultry sector under the insurance coverage. “We sometime see that if any farm is affected by bird-flue, then chicken and other products there are destroyed. Then the farmers face huge losses”, said the business leader.
Addressing as the chief guest, Fisheries and livestock Minister Muhammed Sayedul Hoque laid emphasis on providing loan with single-digit interest rate to the poultry entrepreneurs to expand the local industry.
“If the interest rate is become 12-15 percent, why the entrepreneurs will invest in poultry sector. The interest rate in the neighboring country is single-digit. So, Bangladesh also needs to bring the rate in single digit to facilitate the investments,” said the minister.
The minister hoped that the finance minister would consider the need for expansion of the local poultry sector and take necessary action to bring down the bank interest rate below the 10 per cent rate.
BPICC Convener Mashiur Rahman said,” We need government’s support to enhance necessary Tk50,000 crore investment by the year 2021 from the current investment of Tk25,000 crore in the poultry sector. We are taking preparation for exporting our products. We request the government to simplify the certification from the export.”
Currently, 40-45 percent of the meat demand is being met by the local poultry industry. Besides, the entire demands for eggs, chicken, chicks and feed are being produced locally. The BPICC chief announced that the “Poultry Media Award” to be awarded in March 2016.
Joint Convener of BPICC Shamsul Arefin Khaled urged the government to give some tax benefit to make the struggling poultry industry sustainable.
Ajay Kumar Roy, Director General of the Department of Livestock said, the government has taken pragmatic initiatives to develop the poultry sector.
Dr. Subir Boiragi, a Research Fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) said, the Bangladesh’s poultry industry is growing at 5.0 per cent rate over the last few years. As per research, the egg demands may be met up by 2021 but it will be tough to fulfil demand for meat by that time, he added. He said if the input price is increased the production cost would be enhanced. “Innovative technology, government’s subsidy, strong database will help this sector for expansion further”, he said.
Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) President Abdul Matlub Ahmad on Wednesday demanded for disbursing single digit loan for the entrepreneurs with a view to facilitating the sector.
“More investment is needed for the expansion of the local poultry industry to achieve vision 2021 of the government”, said the FBCCI President while speaking at the inaugural session of a workshop on “The challenge of animal protein demand by 2021: Public-private policy planning” at Krishibid Institution Bangladesh in the city.
Bangladesh Poultry Industries Coordination Committee (BPICC) was organized the daylong workshop.
Matlub Ahmad declared that the FBCCI would provide the necessary support for the further expansion of the sector. He urged the government to come forward to help its development. He called upon the government to announce Bangladesh a bird-flue-free zone aimed at creating opportunities to export the poultry products outside the country.
The FBCCI President underscored the need for bringing the poultry sector under the insurance coverage. “We sometime see that if any farm is affected by bird-flue, then chicken and other products there are destroyed. Then the farmers face huge losses”, said the business leader.
Addressing as the chief guest, Fisheries and livestock Minister Muhammed Sayedul Hoque laid emphasis on providing loan with single-digit interest rate to the poultry entrepreneurs to expand the local industry.
“If the interest rate is become 12-15 percent, why the entrepreneurs will invest in poultry sector. The interest rate in the neighboring country is single-digit. So, Bangladesh also needs to bring the rate in single digit to facilitate the investments,” said the minister.
The minister hoped that the finance minister would consider the need for expansion of the local poultry sector and take necessary action to bring down the bank interest rate below the 10 per cent rate.
BPICC Convener Mashiur Rahman said,” We need government’s support to enhance necessary Tk50,000 crore investment by the year 2021 from the current investment of Tk25,000 crore in the poultry sector. We are taking preparation for exporting our products. We request the government to simplify the certification from the export.”
Currently, 40-45 percent of the meat demand is being met by the local poultry industry. Besides, the entire demands for eggs, chicken, chicks and feed are being produced locally. The BPICC chief announced that the “Poultry Media Award” to be awarded in March 2016.
Joint Convener of BPICC Shamsul Arefin Khaled urged the government to give some tax benefit to make the struggling poultry industry sustainable.
Ajay Kumar Roy, Director General of the Department of Livestock said, the government has taken pragmatic initiatives to develop the poultry sector.
Dr. Subir Boiragi, a Research Fellow of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) said, the Bangladesh’s poultry industry is growing at 5.0 per cent rate over the last few years. As per research, the egg demands may be met up by 2021 but it will be tough to fulfil demand for meat by that time, he added. He said if the input price is increased the production cost would be enhanced. “Innovative technology, government’s subsidy, strong database will help this sector for expansion further”, he said.
