Poultry prepares for export to China, Middle East 

The country's poultry sector is gearing up for exporting meat to the Middle East and China.

Investors in this sector have been preparing themselves in producing poultry meat, keeping the importing countries' standards in mind.  

Entrepreneurs hope that if everything goes right, they will be able to export poultry meat by 2024.

The observation came at a press briefing at the National Press Club, organised by the World's Poultry Science Association's Bangladesh branch, on the occasion of the International Poultry Day.

Bangladesh is going to celebrate the day for the first time across the country on March 19.

Leaders of the association said it is essential to conform to the standard of an importing country for exporting meat there.

There are huge demands for poultry meat in China, Middle East and Africa. 

China has already had a deficit of around 20 lakh tonnes of red meat a year that can be met with poultry meat. That is why, the entrepreneurs have initially targeted to grab the markets in those countries, they said.

The poultry sector supplies 45 percent of country's total protein intake through meat and eggs. Globally, the sector's contribution is 30 percent, according to industry insiders.

The intake of at least 104 eggs per person a year has been ensured in 2019. According to the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organisation, every person needs to eat the number of eggs a year to stay healthy.

Last year, the poultry sector produced 45.10kg meat per head against a demand of 43.25kg, meaning Bangladesh is self-sufficient in meat production.

Now this potential sector is looking forward to putting its toehold in the global meat market.

Abu Lutfe Fazle Rahim, president of the World's Poultry Science Association Bangladesh, said, "We are now focusing on producing safe and hygienic eggs and meat. Not for exports only, we are also giving utmost priority to ensuring safe meat for our local people."

He demanded that the government take measures to stop the arrival of banned raw material used for producing poultry feed through ports.

The production of day-old broiler chicks has reached 2.75 crore a week this year while it was 2 crore a year before. 

Shamsul Arefin Badal, former president of the organisation, said in recent times Bangladesh has improved much in the nutrition index in comparison to the past. But still a large number of children have been suffering from malnutrition.

Because of malnutrition, children are either short for their age or underweight. Many suffer from anaemia, low vision and premature ageing. Even, malnutrition leads to premature death, he said.

The poultry sector has contributed significantly to fulfilling the demand for protein intake in the country, he added.