The market for farm eggs and poultry has become volatile because of a syndicate, and marginal farmers have pleaded for the syndicate to be broken in setting egg and chicken prices. They allege that 10 to 12 big companies are fixing prices at will in selling chicks, producing eggs and selling poultry. In the past 15 days, they say, the companies made several hundred crore taka in extra profit by creating a shortage in the market and fixing higher prices. Meanwhile, farmers' costs have risen with the higher prices of chicks and feed, and marginal farmers are struggling.

The Bangladesh Poultry Association, an organisation of dealers and farmers, said this at a press conference at the Sagar-Runi auditorium of the Dhaka Reporters Unity in Segunbagicha in the capital on Saturday (20 August).

Association president Sumon Howlader presented the written statement. He said the big poultry companies control 50 per cent of the market, and for the remaining 50 per cent, farmers across the country have to follow whatever rates the companies themselves set.

Claiming that egg prices in the market are not set by wholesalers, the president said a specific group of 10 to 12 companies is fixing prices at will through a syndicate in selling chicks, producing eggs and selling poultry.

He said feed quality has fallen because the companies are allowed to import ingredients for poultry feed without any testing, and some dishonest officials of the livestock ministry are involved.

Saying the Department of Livestock Services has been negligent, Sumon Howlader said: "No more imports now; export instead." For that, a policy must be drawn up and training and trade licences given on easy terms, he said. He said a letter of complaint had been sent to the livestock minister and the director general of the Department of Livestock Services.

Association general secretary Ilias Khandaker said it costs Tk 25 to 28 to produce a chick, yet chicks sometimes sell for Tk 40, 50 or 72, and last year even for Tk 95. As a result, 40 per cent of farmers have been forced to close their farms.

Referring to the crisis at farm level, he said farmers do not get government incentives; the companies have grabbed them. Incentives do not reach marginal farmers, banks do not give them loans, and even NGOs do not lend to them.

Ilias Khandaker said the companies keep "A" grade chicks for themselves and sell "B" grade chicks to farmers, and marginal farmers cannot survive competing with them.

Calling the poultry sector a 100 per cent risky business, he said it is the government's responsibility to keep farmers alive with incentive support. "We are supplying protein and reducing unemployment," he said.

Also present were the association's vice-president Bappi Kumar Dey, Khulna divisional president Burhan Uddin and Rangpur divisional president Sujan Mahmud, among others.

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