Poultry industry holds promise

The poultry industry is one of the fastest growing and promising ones in Bangladesh. It contributes to the economy by ensuring large-scale self-employment and food security. 

According to the Bangladesh Poultry Industries Central Council (BPICC), the poultry sector will create 10 million jobs by 2030. It will soon be the second largest employment-generating sector after the readymade garments (RMG) sector. 
Some 55-60 lakh people currently work in this sector.
Recently, the government has set a target titled ‘Nutrition Security and Vision–2021’. One of its objectives is to promote and ensure poultry items as safe food with cheaper price for everyone.
BPICC president Moshiur Rahman told The Independent that there was no information regarding the employment history of this sector even 40 years ago, but it now directly employs 20–25 lakh workers. Overall, 55-60 lakh workers are employed in this sector. Around 40 per cent of them are women.
Quoting the statistics provided by a BPICC report, Moshiur Rahman said, “By 2021, we need to produce 3,299 metric tonnes of meat every day. Annually, we would have to produce 1,24,000 metric tonnes of meat.”
Renowned poultry expert Dr Khaleda Islam, a professor at the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science of Dhaka University, said the best-quality protein comes from animal sources. By selling eggs and chicken, a woman can earn money and become empowered, he added.
“Biogas, organic fertiliser, and electricity can be generated from poultry defecation or waste. If we get more support from the government, poultry recycling could be a robust resource for energy production," said Moshiur Rahman.   
 
Necessary investments
According to a BPICC report titled ‘Poultry Industry in Bangladesh’, the investment required in this sector has to be Tk. 55,000–60,000 crore to achieve the goals of Vision 2021. The report mentions that an additional Tk. 25,000–30,000 crore has to be invested along with the existing investment (which is Tk. 30,000 crore) in this sector because of other related industries such as egg and meat, breeding and hatchery, feed industry, medicine, and raw materials and service.
Regarding investments in this sector, Moshiur Rahman also said: “If we look at the statistics, we'll see the positive outcome of this sector.”
According to a Save The Children report ‘Malnutrition in Bangladesh’, the chronic malnutrition rate among the children was 60 per cent in 1997 but it came down to 41 per cent in 2011. Eventually, it came down to 19 per cent. From 2009 to 2011, the growth rate of the poultry sector was 15 per cent and went up to 20 per cent in 2016. So, the growth of poultry sector tends to reduce the rate of malnutrition. 
According to the BPICC report, the contribution of the poultry sector to the national economy is 2.4 per cent. This could increase considerably by the year 2021.
 
In a nutshell
According to information provided by the Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Bangladesh currently has 205 parent stock (PS) farms. Earlier, there was no feed industry in Bangladesh, and most of the raw materials were imported. Currently, there are some 186 feed mill industries in the country for fulfilling local demand. 
According to the BPICC report, the current investment is more than Tk. 30,000 crore in this sector, while Tk. 55,000–60,000 crore is needed to meet the emerging demand by 2021. 
 
Feedback on feed 
Officials of the Feed Industries Association of Bangladesh (FIAB) said the investment in this sector was only Tk. 1,500 crore in the 1980s, but has now increased to Tk. 30,000 crore. 
Earlier, there was no ‘grandparent stock’ farm (a farm which produces fertilised eggs) in Bangladesh and the entire industry was dependent on imports. But now, eight companies have created 15 farms with compliant facilities.
Recently, leaders of the Feed Industries Association of Bangladesh (FIAB) and the BPICC placed five proposals to the finance minister at a roundtable discussion titled ‘Food and nutrition security, employment, women’s empowerment by poultry industry and upcoming budget’. The leaders also demanded zero per cent import tariff on all the components of poultry feed so that poultry production can be doubled within three years. 
The finance minister assured them of considering their demands.
Kazi Zahedul Hasan, poultry entrepreneur and managing director of Kazi Farms, said: “We've technological and managerial skills, but we don’t have financial capacity and hassle-free land. These are the biggest obstacles at this moment."
“In 2014, the yearly production of poultry feed was 25 lakh metric tonnes. In 2016, it was 33 lakh metric tonnes. To achieve the target of government’s nutrition security and Vision-2021, we need to produce 55–60 lakh metric tonnes of poultry feed,” he added. 
 
Bird flu
FIAB officials said outbreak of diseases such as avian flu could completely destroy the poultry sector. Massive investments and support from the government are required to protect this sector from different infectious diseases, they added.
A report titled ‘Poultry Industry in Bangladesh’, written by SK Raha, says the poultry industry was hit by bird flu in 2007 and 2009. The number of firms fell to 55,000 in 2013 from 115,000 in 2007.
Parvez Iqbal, member of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), said: “Since 1980, tax on this sector has been exempted eight times to make it sustainable and produce more poultry products at affordable prices."
In describing challenges faced by the poultry sector, Moshiur Rahman said: “We locally produce 45 per cent of the maize used in the poultry sector and the rest is imported. As many as 5 per cent advance income tax has been imposed on all types of important components including maize. Therefore, the cost of poultry products has increased. We want tax exemption on maize and other such components.”
“Most essential raw materials used in poultry feed, such as maize, soybean meal and vegetable protein, are imported. This remains one of our biggest challenges till date," he added.
According to a BPICC press release, Bangladeshi entrepreneurs will start exporting chicken-based food products by the year 2020.  It says Bangladesh can earn USD 4–5 million by exporting its poultry products.  
Giant poultry organisations like Kazi Farms ltd, Bengal Meat and BRAC poultry sell chicken products completely manufactured by them in the local market.      

Poultry industry holds promise

The poultry industry is one of the fastest growing and promising ones in Bangladesh. It contributes to the economy by ensuring large-scale self-employment and food security. According to the Bangladesh Poultry Industries Central Council (BPICC), the poultry sector will create 10 million jobs by 2030. It will soon be the second largest employment-generating sector after the readymade garments (RMG) sector. Some 55-60 lakh people currently work in this sector. Recently, the government has set a target titled Nutrition Security and Vision2021. One of its objectives is to promote and ensure poultry items as safe food with cheaper price for everyone. BPICC president Moshiur Rahman told The Independent that there was no information regarding the employment history of this sector even 40 years ago, but it now directly employs 2025 lakh workers. Overall, 55-60 lakh workers are employed in this sector. Around 40 per cent of them are women. Quoting the statistics provided by a BPICC report, Moshiur Rahman said, By 2021, we need to produce 3,299 metric tonnes of meat every day. Annually, we would have to produce 1,24,000 metric tonnes of meat. Renowned poultry expert Dr Khaleda Islam, a professor at the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science of Dhaka University, said the best-quality protein comes from animal sources. By selling eggs and chicken, a woman can earn money and become empowered, he added. Biogas, organic fertiliser, and electricity can be generated from poultry defecation or waste. If we get more support from the government, poultry recycling could be a robust resource for energy production, said Moshiur Rahman. Necessary investments According to a BPICC report titled Poultry Industry in Bangladesh, the investment required in this sector has to be Tk. 55,00060,000 crore to achieve the goals of Vision 2021. The report mentions that an additional Tk. 25,00030,000 crore has to be invested along with the existing investment (which is Tk. 30,000 crore) in this sector because of other related industries such as egg and meat, breeding and hatchery, feed industry, medicine, and raw materials and service. Regarding investments in this sector, Moshiur Rahman also said: If we look at the statistics, well see the positive outcome of this sector. According to a Save The Children report Malnutrition in Bangladesh, the chronic malnutrition rate among the children was 60 per cent in 1997 but it came down to 41 per cent in 2011. Eventually, it came down to 19 per cent. From 2009 to 2011, the growth rate of the poultry sector was 15 per cent and went up to 20 per cent in 2016. So, the growth of poultry sector tends to reduce the rate of malnutrition. According to the BPICC report, the contribution of the poultry sector to the national economy is 2.4 per cent. This could increase considerably by the year 2021. In a nutshell According to information provided by the Department of Livestock Services (DLS), Bangladesh currently has 205 parent stock (PS) farms. Earlier, there was no feed industry in Bangladesh, and most of the raw materials were imported. Currently, there are some 186 feed mill industries in the country for fulfilling local demand. According to the BPICC report, the current investment is more than Tk. 30,000 crore in this sector, while Tk. 55,00060,000 crore is needed to meet the emerging demand by 2021. Feedback on feed Officials of the Feed Industries Association of Bangladesh (FIAB) said the investment in this sector was only Tk. 1,500 crore in the 1980s, but has now increased to Tk. 30,000 crore. Earlier, there was no grandparent stock farm (a farm which produces fertilised eggs) in Bangladesh and the entire industry was dependent on imports. But now, eight companies have created 15 farms with compliant facilities. Recently, leaders of the Feed Industries Association of Bangladesh (FIAB) and the BPICC placed five proposals to the finance minister at a roundtable discussion titled Food and nutrition security, employment, womens empowerment by poultry industry and upcoming budget. The leaders also demanded zero per cent import tariff on all the components of poultry feed so that poultry production can be doubled within three years. The finance minister assured them of considering their demands. Kazi Zahedul Hasan, poultry entrepreneur and managing director of Kazi Farms, said: Weve technological and managerial skills, but we dont have financial capacity and hassle-free land. These are the biggest obstacles at this moment. In 2014, the yearly production of poultry feed was 25 lakh metric tonnes. In 2016, it was 33 lakh metric tonnes. To achieve the target of governments nutrition security and Vision-2021, we need to produce 5560 lakh metric tonnes of poultry feed, he added. Bird flu FIAB officials said outbreak of diseases such as avian flu could completely destroy the poultry sector. Massive investments and support from the government are required to protect this sector from different infectious diseases, they added. A report titled Poultry Industry in Bangladesh, written by SK Raha, says the poultry industry was hit by bird flu in 2007 and 2009. The number of firms fell to 55,000 in 2013 from 115,000 in 2007. Parvez Iqbal, member of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), said: Since 1980, tax on this sector has been exempted eight times to make it sustainable and produce more poultry products at affordable prices. In describing challenges faced by the poultry sector, Moshiur Rahman said: We locally produce 45 per cent of the maize used in the poultry sector and the rest is imported. As many as 5 per cent advance income tax has been imposed on all types of important components including maize. Therefore, the cost of poultry products has increased. We want tax exemption on maize and other such components. Most essential raw materials used in poultry feed, such as maize, soybean meal and vegetable protein, are imported. This remains one of our biggest challenges till date, he added. According to a BPICC press release, Bangladeshi entrepreneurs will start exporting chicken-based food products by the year 2020. It says Bangladesh can earn USD 45 million by exporting its poultry products. Giant poultry organisations like Kazi Farms ltd, Bengal Meat and BRAC poultry sell chicken products completely manufactured by them in the local market.