Govt to ask for protein import details for poultry feed to check its surging price
The government will seek import details of protein and its use for producing poultry feeds from the importers to scrutinise the reasons for the price surge of livestock feeds in the country, Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim said.
"There is no duty on imported protein and a rebate has been given to lower the price of poultry feeds. Taking advantage of this, some unscrupulous traders have been importing more components than their production capacity and hoarding the items," the minister told a policy discussion meeting on Sunday.
The government is collecting details of the amount of protein import allowed, production capacity and how much imported raw materials are being used and what is done with the rest of the items, he added.
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The minister also suggested establishing import-substitute industries to produce raw materials for feed industries locally and reduce import dependence.
The government will provide various support including tax rebates on imported machinery, he told the meeting titled "Safe and Sustainable Poultry Production: Expectation and Planning".
Rezaul Karim said the price of electricity should not be different for the agriculture and poultry sectors as fisheries and poultry are two of the major sectors of macro-level agriculture. Providing similar facilities for power connection in the fisheries and livestock sector is under process and it will be implemented soon, the minister assured.
He said there should be a proper waste management system in the poultry industry, especially the large farms. Otherwise, it is not possible to ensure the safety and nutrition of food if there is pollution on the farms.
State Minister for Planning Professor Shamsul Alam hoped that the poultry sector will contribute to the export sector in near future. Like the garments industries, the bonded warehouse facility may be considered in importing raw materials for feed, he said.
The Bangladesh chapter president of the World's Poultry Science Association, Mosiur Rahman, said there must be a waste disposal system on every farm. Even many big farms dump poultry litter indiscriminately at night.
