Agriculture Minister Dr Md Abdur Razzaque has said positive decisions will be taken, after discussion with the prime minister, to support the poultry sector and keep broiler chicken within ordinary people's buying power.

He said this on Thursday (12 January) at a press conference at the Department of Films and Publications' conference room in the Secretariat, held to publish the findings of research into whether broiler meat contains antibiotics, heavy metals or other substances harmful to human health.

Asked whether the message that broiler meat contains nothing harmful might push up prices, the minister said: "The government has two roles in controlling prices. The fisheries and livestock minister, the secretary and I were discussing this: in agriculture we give a 20 percent incentive on electricity, yet poultry farming is also agriculture and it does not get this. I do not want to take credit over jute. At the last cabinet meeting the prime minister was very much in favour and I spoke strongly. After that... this (the jute matter) was supposed to come from the jute minister. Anyway, the prime minister wanted it, and on the basis of my argument we have identified jute as an agricultural product."

"We give a 20 percent incentive: export Tk 100 and you get Tk 20. All the garment makers and some industries have enjoyed this. The farm sector did not get it in the same way. This government has given a 20 percent incentive on agricultural exports. Fisheries and livestock have not been included in it."

Abdur Razzaque said: "Another issue is the (poultry) feed we bring from abroad. Wheat and maize prices have risen a lot. Many factors are responsible, and at this moment it is very hard to control prices because of the international market."

"Farmed chicken is the best source of protein and the cheapest. To keep it within people's buying power, our two ministries (agriculture, and fisheries and livestock) will take some positive steps after discussing with the prime minister and policymakers. I give this promise to the nation."

Fisheries and Livestock Minister S M Rezaul Karim said: "At times there are some strains in the poultry sector. Even so, the agriculture ministry and the fisheries and livestock ministry are working with the poultry associations in the private sector and others. Some wrong information goes to different places, and many people are misled because correct information does not reach them."

He said a large share of Bangladesh's food demand, eggs and meat, comes from the poultry sector, and that the government is trying to raise standards in the sector from the grassroots to the central level and to give it every kind of state patronage.

"Duty on poultry feed ingredients imported from abroad has been waived. We have asked the National Board of Revenue (NBR) not to take source tax and other taxes on poultry feed produced in the country. We believe the government and the NBR will consider this."

Agriculture Secretary Wahida Akter, Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Nahid Rashid and Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council executive chairman Sheikh Mohammad Bakhtiar were present at the press conference.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.