Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :
Poultry farmers in Ishwardi upazila of Pabna are also facing losses due to increased prices of broiler chickens and eggs. Although the production cost of a chicken weighing one kg is 140 rupees, farmers have to sell it at TK118 per kg. The cost of producing an egg is Tk 8.20e. Selling Tk 6.50. Although the profit is 20 to 30 paisa per egg for the time being, only one month ago during Ramadan, one egg was sold for Tk 8.50 . Eggs had to be sold at a lower price of around Tk 2 per production cost. Farmers have blamed the rise in poultry feed prices for this.
Akmal Hossain, general secretary of Ishwardi Poultry Farm Association and Bangabandhu Krishi Padak recipient, said the farm has now become a thorn in the side of entrepreneurs. Young entrepreneurs set up poultry farms to fight unemployment and become self-sufficient. Now many farmers have lost their capital due to losses. About 200 farms in Ishwardi have already closed. Highlighting the plight of poultry farmers, he said food prices have risen four times this year. Even four months ago, a sack (50 kg) of chicken meal was sold at Tk. 2,200, which is now Tk 2,650. At the same time, electricity bills, wages of workers, prices of khacha and shed construction materials have gone up. The cost of production is constantly rising. But the farmers do not have the power to decide how much the meat and eggs will cost. It is controlled by a syndicate. As a result, small farmers are not able to cover their expenses by selling meat and eggs. Constantly having to face losses. The owner of SM Poultry Farm in Azampur village of Dashuria Union said that at present the cost of producing an egg is 8.20 paisa. Of this, Tk 6.70 for food, Tk 0.50 for labor, Tk 0.50 for electricity, Tk 0.40 for medicine, Tk 0.10 for transporting eggs and other items. He said that when we farmed in 2008 (50 kg) the price of food was Tk. 1300 but now it is tk. 2750. Prices have more than doubled. But the price of eggs has not increased. At that time eggs were sold at Tk. I have invested 30 lakh taka in poultry farm. The farm has 3300 chickens. An average of 2600 eggs are laid every day. As a small farm, I can only say that if the price of food continues to rise, there will be no choice but to close the farm.
Ahad Ali, a farmer from Muladuli village, said the farm has one thousand broiler chickens. Each broiler now weighs 1 kg 900 g. Each broiler chicken cost 285 taka. In other words, the production cost of a chicken weighing one kg is 140 taka. Now this chicken has to be sold at a wholesale price of Tk 118 per kg. How long can the loss be given in this way? If the price of food is not increased and the price of poultry meat is not increased, the small farmers may soon become destitute.
Kamruzzaman Masum, owner of Satata Poultry Farm in Mirkamari village in Salimpur union, said banks need to provide easy loans to keep the industry afloat and for the youth to survive in their own workplaces. Besides, government incentives should be increased in this sector. The government must increase the price of meat and eggs due to rising food prices. Otherwise, these small farms will be closed. As a result, millions of young people in the country will lose their capital and become destitute and unemployed. This will increase unemployment in the country.
According to the Upazila Animal Resources Office, there are 451 poultry farms in Ishwardi. Of these, 6 are breeders, 226 are layers and 218 are broilers. Various facilities including training, seminars and counseling are provided to the farmers.
Upazila Animal Resources Officer Dr. Nazmul Hossain said, “Poultry farms have created employment opportunities for unemployed youth.” Farmers are making money with dignity. Currently the price of poultry feed has gone up. But at the same time the price of meat and eggs has also gone up. The issue of increase in the price of poultry food is under the notice of the higher authorities. Ishwardi’s farmers are still doing well.
