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Poultry operators demand special funds

Sohel Parvez
Poultry industry operators want special funds that would assist the sector to meet future demand and create employment for over one crore people by 2021.
“The demand for protein will continue to rise as population grows. Proper planning in the sector will not only reduce protein deficiency-related health conditions, but also generate employment on a large scale," said Syed Abu Siddique, president of Bangladesh Poultry Industries Association (BPIA), the lobby group for tens of thousands of poultry farmers across the country.
BPLA made the pleas, as the newly elected government is about to place the national budget for the fiscal 2009-10. Analysts expect the budget will reflect the commitments made by Awami League, during run-up to the elections.
Referring to the present government's vision, BPIA said there is no alternative to the poultry industry because it helps increase protein production in the least possible time and reduces protein deficiency at low costs.
The association observes that the per capita consumption of meat now stands at 1.85 kilograms, while the per capita consumption of eggs is 26 units. “It's the lowest level of protein consumption among the developing countries," the BPIA president pointed out.
Taking 5 kilograms of chicken meat as per capita consumption, BPIA expects about 7 lakh tonnes of chicken will be required by 2010 and about 9 lakh tonnes
by 2021.
The demand for eggs will also rise to 840 crore units by 2010 and 1,200 crore units by 2021.
“We can achieve such levels of production, given a separate fund is created to boost the poultry industry," he said, urging the government to earmark Tk 10,000 crore for the sector in the national budget.
The BPIA president said the fund will be used within the next decade to promote investment in the poultry industry as well as create employment. A portion of the proposed fund could provide equity support to prospective and existing investors, he said.
"Surging investment in this sector will enable establishing about 3 lakh farms
and generate 1 crore new employment opportunities," said Siddique.
The BPIA places its demands to the government as the Tk 15,000 crore worth domestic poultry industry tries to retrieve from the losses it incurred due to the outbreak of avian influenza (bird flu). The flu hit the poultry industry first in early 2007.
According to the BPIA, the bird flu outbreak forced nearly 40 percent of the 1,50,000 farms in the country to exit production and about 20 lakh people to lose their jobs.
"The whole industry incurred huge losses due to the bird flu. Rehabilitating the poultry farmers is of utmost importance,” he said, demanding strengthening of bank loan disbursement
The association sought a 2-year freeze on loan interest without any down payment and urged the government to reschedule the loans taken by the affected farmers.
It also demanded the sector people be able to avail of loans at a 5 percent rate of interest.
"If we can prevent diseases and maintain quality, we will be able to enter the global market with our produce," said Siddique. He observed that the export potentials of this sector has provoked some local companies to increase production of processed poultry items.
In this regard, BPIA said the government should impose high duty on poultry items to discourage the import of frozen poultry meat and processed poultry.
The association also urged the government to ban 100 percent foreign investments in the sector, arguing that foreign investors profit by enjoying various duty and tax benefits offered by the government.
sohel@thedailystar.net