Govt urged to protect poultry industry

Islamabad:Central Chairman of the Pakistan Poultry Association Dr Muhammad Aslam said that the government should protect the poultry industry and reduce tax and electricity rates so that despite unfavorable conditions, egg and poultry production in the country is not affected and poultry farms are not closed, says a press release.

Dr Aslam said that the increase in the dollar rate last year increased the production cost of poultry by 40 per cent but despite this the rates of chicken meat and eggs did not increase and the poultry farmer raised the price of chicken from Rs90 to Rs150 per kg. The sale of chickens caused huge losses to poultry farmers. The closure of hotel wedding hall, restaurant and marquee due to coronavirus severely affected the business of poultry farmers and they were forced to sell chickens at a price far below cost. He said that after a relatively slight increase in the rate of poultry in Punjab, the Punjab government started rounding up poultry farmers, which created an atmosphere of panic and the farmers refused to raise chickens. If the situation continues, declining production will push up the prices of chicken and eggs and people will be forced to buy chicken and eggs at higher prices. ‘Prices of chicken and eggs have nothing to do with poultry farmers,’ he said.

According to market forces, prices fluctuate in terms of supply and demand. If the concerns of poultry farmers are not addressed on this occasion, there is a risk of increase in prices of poultry and eggs. Due to this drainage of capital from the pottery sector is a matter of concern because once poultry farmers are attracted to another business then investment in the sector in which the risk factor is highest will be less. Aslam said that the government should sit down with the representatives of poultry farmers and address their concerns and seek their advice in policy making as the closure of poultry industry will not result in any buyer of agricultural commodities and maize in the country and eggs and poultry.

He said that the reduction in interest rates by the SBP would benefit the poultry industry to some extent and the SBP had directed the commercial banks to make concessions in the recovery of loans issued due to corona virus.

However, the commercial banks did not fully implement it, so the commercial banks should be required to give concessions to the poultry sector in recovery of loans as per the policy of the SBP. Dr Muhammad Aslam thanked the government for reducing interest rates by the poultry industry.

He said that if the poultry sector was harmed, the procurement of many agricultural commodities would be stopped and the agricultural sector would be on the brink of disaster and the poultry sector as well as the agricultural sector would face innumerable difficulties.