Poultry farmers in Chandpur's Matlab Uttar upazila are in serious trouble as the prices of feed, medicine and chicks rise, and a number of farms have already closed, Desh Rupantor's Matlab correspondent reports. Farmers have asked the government to control the prices of layer chicks, feed and medicine; unable to get a fair price for eggs, many have fallen into debt and changed occupation.

Feed, medicine, electricity and transport costs have multiplied, the farmers say, and middlemen's syndicates add to the squeeze, so even higher egg prices do not cover production costs. Zahid Hossain, a farmer at Islamabad, said a 50 kg bag of feed now costs Tk 2,500 to 2,900 including transport depending on the company; the eggs produced do not pay for the feed, and some farmers have closed down and left the country.

Moin Uddin of Ludhua said feed has risen by about Tk 495 a bag in the past six months alone while chicken and egg prices have not kept pace; his farm spends about Tk 5,000 a day and cannot recover it. He also complained that the vaccines his birds need are not available at the upazila livestock office and must be bought from companies at high prices.

A farmer named Matin said it costs at least Tk 700 in feed, medicine and care to bring a layer to lay, and about Tk 8 a day in feed thereafter, though not every hen lays every day; a bird lost to disease is a heavy loss.

Rasel Dewan, president of the Matlab Uttar Poultry Association, said marginal farmers are being hurt by the monopoly control of chick and feed companies, with complaints of substandard feed and chicks as well; without more government oversight the upazila's poultry industry faces a major crisis soon.

Upazila livestock officer Dr Shyamal Chandra Das said the constant rise in chick, feed and raw-material prices is the main cause of marginal farmers' losses, and profits could be secured if prices were controlled. Whatever vaccine arrives, he added, is sold to farmers at the government price.

Source: Desh Rupantor — Reporting: Matlab (Chandpur) correspondent