THE government has banned import and sale of meat and bone meal, a protein concentrate for poultry, because of its health risks to human and livestock. Commonly known as MBM, it can cause anthrax, antibiotic resistance, and even cancer, local newspapers reported. It comes in powder form, and is made from bones of animals, including cow and goat and the small amount of meat attached to the bones. In most parts of the world, it is no longer allowed in poultry feed. The EU banned it in 1994, India in 2001 and Thailand in 2017.
Poultry is a major source of protein in the country while about 36 percent of human protein intake comes from poultry. The Fisheries and Livestock Ministry has written to the Commerce Ministry to implement the decision. Bangladesh Food Safety Authority has also instructed the Customs authorities to enforce the ban on import, sale, storing and any other use of the feed.
The feed is currently imported from European and Latin American countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. The Import Policy 2015-2018 had provisions for its import, but under certain conditions: it has to be freed of antibiotics, chromium, radiation, virus and bacteria. Last year, authorities unearthed imports of low-quality MBM through Chattogram Port.
Why did it take so long for the authorities to ban a feed which have links with mad cow disease that was detected as early as 1986 is not known, but it’s nice that they have finally thought of the consumers who are eating chicken regularly. We think a regulatory ban is not enough as it has been proven that MBM exists in quantities surpassing the official export numbers, which is suggestive of the fact that it is being exported under false declarations.
So merely banning those will not be enough–imports under false declarations also have to be checked. We have domestic substitutes like fish meal which can be a major alternative. Also vegetable sources like soya bean and maize can also meet the protein need of poultry. Creating domestic sources of production will also cut back our import bills and save much needed foreign exchange.
