Price spiral of chicks, feed hits poultry farmers in 8 N-dists
Crisis of chickens feared as a large number of farms shut
A poultry farmer, who had to shut his farm due to unusually high price of chicks and feed, shows his empty poultry cages amid a sense of despair.Photo: STAR
Unusual rise in the price of one-day-old chicks and poultry feed has come as a serious blow to the already limping poultry industry in eight districts of Rangpur division. Consequently, closure of a large number of poultry farms may lead to crisis of broiler chicken, a vital source of protein and also used in preparing delicacies, during the ongoing Ramadan and ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of the Muslims. Failing to cope with continuous losses, hundreds of poultry owners closed down their farms during the last couple of months, said sources of Bangladesh Poultry Farm Association (BPFA). "We have become hostage to a syndicate of hatchery owners and feed producers, who are deliberately raising prices of one-day-old chicks and poultry feed to make windfall profit. Prices of each one-day-old broiler chick increased to Tk 65 to Tk 70 from Tk 25-28 within only three weeks," said Mahbub Alam, president of Rangpur divisional unit of BPFA. Broiler rearing is hit by rise in price of both day-old chick and poultry feed. Although prices of one-day-old layer chicks has remained stable at Tk 22-24 rearing of layer chickens for eggs is affected by the recent rise in poultry feed price. On Sunday, a sack of broiler chick feed sold at Tk 1800 to Tk 1885 and a sack of layer chick feed Tk 1500 to 1525, said Shahadat Hossain, a big poultry feed dealer in Rangpur town. But the prices were at least Tk 100 less for each sack two weeks ago, said farmers. “Due to present high price of broiler chicks and poultry feed, we have to spend Tk 190 for rearing a broiler for one month when it attains 1.5 kg weight. But we have to incur loss as it is to be sold at Tk 142. Similarly, production cost of an egg now stands at Tk 5.50 but farmers have to sell it at Tk 5.20," said Shukhdev Kumar, owner of Ma Tara Poultry Farm in Saidpur upazila under Nilphamari district. BPFA sources said there are 7,609 listed poultry farms in Rangpur, Dinajpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts. But half of the farms have been closed down during the last two years due to continuous increase in price of chicks and poultry feed, said Dablu Shah, president of Nilphamari district unit of BPFA. Earlier, the government at a meeting with hatchery owners, feed producing farms and poultry farmers fixed highest price of one-day-old broiler at Tk 30 and layer chick at Tk 32 in order to reign in prices at the unstable market. But shortly afterwards, the hatchery owners took a stay order from the court against the government order, said BPFA sources. The government should re-fix selling prices of chicks and poultry feed to save the poultry sector, said Istiaq Ahmed, general secretary of Rangpur divisional unit of BPFA. When contacted, Dr Binoy Kumar, assistant section manager of CP Bangladesh Ltd, one of the largest poultry feed producers and breeders in the country, said, "Prices of one-day-old chicks have marked some rise in the recent weeks as poultry farmers across the country started purchasing chicks in a competitive way, eyeing good business ahead of the Eid.” He however said that the price of one-day-old broiler chick is gradually coming down now after a sharp rise. Dr Shahidul Islam, deputy director of divisional office of livestock directorate, said, "Price rise of poultry chicks and feed is not acceptable at all. We are asking poultry feed producers and breeders to take reasonable prices as directed by the government."
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