Poultry sector may face Tk 1,150cr in losses

The country’s poultry industry might incur losses of Tk 1,150 crore from March 20 to April 4 as the prices of eggs, broiler and one-day old chicks witnessed a sharp decline due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the country, sector people said.

They said that the supply chain of poultry industry was disrupted due to the government measures to protect people from the epidemic and both the wholesalers and the retailers of poultry products observed a thin presence of buyers and consumers.

Moshiur Rahman, president of the Bangladesh Poultry Industries Central Council, said that the prices of eggs declined by 23.5 per cent while the sales decreased by 60 per cent and the prices of broiler dropped by 37 per cent and the sales by 70 per cent.

He said that the prices of one-day old chicks declined by 92 per cent and the sales decreased by 93 per cent as of Tuesday.

‘We are facing heavy losses as our sales of one-day chicks, eggs and broiler declined by more than 80 per cent in last one week,’ Mahabub Alam Lavelu, director of Afil Agro Ltd, told New Age on Tuesday.

Afil Agro Ltd is one of the largest poultry industries in the country which produces one lakh one-day old chicks, four lakhs eggs and 30,000 kilograms of broiler each day.

Mahbub said that they were producing one-day old chicks with a cost of Tk 32 a piece and selling those at Tk 2-4 a piece but still suffering from an acute shortage of buyers.

He said they were selling broiler at Tk 40-45 a kg whereas its production cost was at Tk 110 a kg.

Md Ihtesham B Shahjahan, president of the Feed Industries Association of Bangladesh, claimed that the production of poultry and fish feed decreased by 70-75 per cent and the sector might incur losses of Tk 75 crore in the period.

The Bangladesh Poultry Industries Central Council estimated that the egg and broiler sub-sector might face losses of Tk 503 crore while the losses for processed industry would be Tk 32 crore.

Rakibur Rahman Tutu, president of the Breeders Association of Bangladesh, said that the breeders and hatchery industry would face losses of Tk 458 crore.

Poultry sector leaders demanded 30 per cent cash incentive and waiver of bank interest for six months so that the industry could rebound. (Source: New Age)