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Poultry businessmen oppose govt decision to import eggs

Porimol Palma
Prices of eggs and chicken are likely to come down further in a week, as the poultry farmers are pressing for it following the government decision to import eggs, which the farming sector says, will destroy the domestic poultry industry.
Bangladesh Poultry' Farms Protection National Action Committee requested the retailers to sell each egg at less than Tk 6.5 and chicken at less thanTk 100 per kg.
The committee comprising small and medium poultry farmers in partnership with Bangladesh Poultry Industries Coordination Committee is also selling an egg at Tk 5.5 in various parts of the capital to lower the prices.
Price of an egg has been Tk 7 to Tk 8 for the last several weeks. During a visit to Karwan Bazar yesterday, it was found that an egg is being sold at Tk 6.5 to Tk 6.75, but Tk 7 to Tk 7.5 in the residential areas in the capital.
“We requested the traders to sell an egg at Tk 5.5 to Tk 6. We shall stop supplying eggs to the traders who sell an egg at more than Tk 6.5," said Khandaker Mohsin, general secretary of Bangladesh Poultry Farms Protection National Action Committee.
A meeting of the divisional heads of the committee on Thursday also decided to
request the traders to sell chicken at less thanTk 100 per kilogram, which the farmers sell to the wholesalers at Tk 78 to Tk 85 per kg.
But, chicken was found being sold at Tk 105 to Tk 110 per kg at Karwan Bazar and Tk 115 to Tk 120 in the residential areas at Tejgaon.
“I am sure these prices will come down in a week. If necessary, we shall face losses, but do not want the industry to be destroyed allowing the import," Mohsin told The Daily Star.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Poultry Industries Coordination Committee Convener Mashiur Rahman said the import of eggs runs the risks of avian influenza or bird flu in the country, which
had seriously affected the local poultry industry in 2006-07.
Most of the Asian countries and many European countries are now affected by this deadly virus, he said.
Mashiur Rahman said import of animal quarantine is a must to import eggs, but there is no quarantine or certification service station in any of the country's ports.
"Therefore, there is no way to be sure whether the imported eggs are free of avian influenza or bird flu or not,” he said, terming the government decision to import eggs very risky.
"If there is a fresh bird flu outbreak like that of 2006-07, how will the farmers and traders recover?" Rahman
posed a question.
The industry insiders said in 1993, the government slapped a ban on importing eggs to encourage the local poultry sector.
"Now we are about to be self-dependent. Any decision to import eggs will destroy the industries, especially the small and medium farmers,” said Khandaker Mohsin.
He said it is important that the hatchery owners lower the one-day's broiler chick to below Tk 25 and layer chick below Tk35.
The government also should take stringent measures to reduce poultry feed and regulate retail prices that often go high because of unscrupulous businessmen, he added.