Photo : Messenger
The ongoing deadly heatwave is wreaking havoc in the country's poultry industry with nearly one lakh chickens, worth some Tk20 crore, reportedly dying every day since Eid-Ul-Fitr, the Bangladesh Poultry Association claimed on Thursday (25 April).
If the situation continues, a severe supply shortage could hit the poultry and egg market within the next month, the association said in a statement signed by its President Md Sumon Howlader.
The association has called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for support to tackle the crisis.
According to the statement, poultry farmers are now facing a double whammy.
On one hand, the statement said there is a crisis of chicks, which has caused a price hike with farmers now having to buy chicks, which have a production cost of Tk28-30, at a price of Tk80-90.
On the other hand, it said, "As a result of the ongoing heatwave that started after Eid, around one lakh chickens worth Tk20 crore are dying every day due to heatstroke across the country.
"Under these dire conditions, egg and chicken production has declined significantly, ranging from 4 to 10%."
The statement claimed that in the last 10-12 days, over 10 lakh broiler, layer and sonali chickens have died in the country.
Broiler chicken alone accounts for 80% of the casualty.
"The total loss from the deaths of these chickens is estimated to be Tk200 crore," said Sumon.
"If this continues, the poultry farms will be closed, and production of eggs and poultry will decrease," he added.
"Taking advantage of this opportunity, corporate egg chicken suppliers and Tejgaon-based egg syndicates will create a shortage of eggs and chickens in the market.
"From June, they will start increasing the prices. From August to October the price of eggs and chicken will increase drastically," the Poultry Association president alleged.
Calling on the government to protect the poultry farmers in this situation, he said the government should subsidise the production of chicks and poultry feed and keep the supply chain in order so that there is no crisis in the market.
He also urged the government to allow the import of chicks and poultry feed from abroad to help marginal farmers.
Messenger/Sumon
