Many fish and poultry farms have grown up, often without planning, to meet the daily protein needs of our huge population. Most of the entrepreneurs behind these chicken and duck farms are people with little education from remote areas who created their own jobs. Chicken is now at the top of the younger generation's food preferences and is essential for meeting protein needs. Many fast-food shops have sprung up to make it even more popular, creating jobs for many more people.

The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has played a commendable role in raising fish and poultry output, and the Department of Youth Development has done notable work in creating entrepreneurs. Officials at upazila level in particular have contributed directly through training and advice, and various NGOs have also played a part. As demand and output for fish and poultry grew, so did demand for their feed and medicine, and many firms, mostly small industries, grew up to make them. About 300 poultry and fish feed producers and marketers are now registered with the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.

These firms have long operated with certificates or approval obtained by paying fees set by the government's livestock division. Many graduates in veterinary science and aquaculture from agricultural universities work in these companies. Their factories have laboratories and testers, and they claim their feed is close to BSTI standards. That claim needs to be verified in full.

Livestock officers are posted in every thana or upazila and district. Their main job is to raise the output of healthy cattle, goats, poultry and fish, and they are qualified to build the extra capacity to detect any adulteration in poultry and fish feed and to collect reasonable government fees. If needed, their staff should be increased, given modern training, and the number and quality of laboratories raised.

Since fish and poultry feed can be made on a very small scale, the allegation that there are more than a hundred unlicensed producers across the country cannot be wholly dismissed. If such firms exist, they must be brought under government control. In short, it is the government's duty to make fully certain that no feed maker uses tannery waste or other unhealthy ingredients, and that feed quality is and remains sound.

Just as people need food to live, they need that food to be safe to live healthily. Our health now depends largely on the health of farmed fish and poultry, which in turn depends on the quality of their feed and medicine. Producing feed to set standards will prevent disease and pollution and make fish, meat and eggs safe.

The question is who should control that quality: the Department of Livestock Services or the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI)? Which has more capacity must also be considered. The livestock department under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock oversaw the matter from the start, but in 2018 BSTI, under the Ministry of Industries, moved to take it on.

It issued a notification making quality certification mandatory before the sale, distribution and commercial promotion of 28 products, including poultry and fish feed. It decided to raid factories to check feed quality, and made it compulsory to obtain its certification marks (CM) certificate on payment of hefty fees. Fish and poultry feed makers found themselves under dual authority.

BSTI kept pressing feed makers to take its CM certificate, but the producers refused to come under it or pay large sums for the certificate. Only a handful of companies took the CM certificate under heavy pressure. Dual oversight and extra fees caused discontent among company owners and raised the prospect of harassment and higher feed prices, which would inevitably hurt consumer prices.

Against this background, an important meeting was held on 3 September 2025, chaired by Farida Akhter, adviser to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. Senior officials of the fisheries and livestock ministry, the industries ministry and BSTI attended, along with leaders of the Feed Industries Association Bangladesh. Industries ministry and BSTI officials said: "Tests on fish and animal feed samples have already found excessive ppm of chromium in most samples. That is why feed producers were brought under mandatory certification in 2018."

Leaders of the feed makers said: "For CM certification of each production unit, BSTI has imposed VAT, marking fees and testing fees at set rates. This has hurt the sector. Exemption from this requirement is essential if the poultry sector is to grow further. Remember that feed industries also make premixes and other nutrients besides feed. These are formulated to animals' nutritional needs, which can only be ensured by the livestock department's technically skilled staff (DVM/AH). The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has international-standard quality control labs, so the livestock department can issue quality certificates. Besides, BSTI certification is not needed to export feed."

Officials of the fisheries and livestock ministry and department said: "Under section 3 of the Fish Feed and Animal Feed Act 2010, the department concerned has been made the controlling authority, empowered under section 10 to set standard levels of feed ingredients and under section 11 to ensure feed quality. The ministry has five large quality control laboratories in Dhaka, Savar, Khulna and Chattogram. Since fish and animal feed are governed by a special law, there is no scope to require feed makers to take BSTI certification. Every government agency is run by its own laws, rules and policies. Just as BSTI is a quality control body, the European Union has given accredited certificates to the fisheries and livestock laboratories. So why should feed makers under them have to take certificates from BSTI?"

The chair said: "The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock will not compromise on quality in meeting the safe nutritional needs of a growing population. But it would be proper to keep farmers and producers free of extra cost, time and dual supervision. Oversight of the same product's quality by two government agencies stands in the way of a hassle-free one-stop service. It is very urgent to let the domestic feed industry grow as a thrust sector. Otherwise employment and economic development will suffer and the country's progress will be hampered."

After the discussion, an eight-member committee was formed to assess the ministry's overall capacity, with a view to exempting poultry and fish feed from the BSTI certification requirement. Because the committee's report has been delayed, BSTI has kept up pressure in various ways on feed companies to take its licence by paying large fees, adding to their troubles. Such a situation surely hinders industrial growth. It is clear that both ministries want to oversee or control poultry and fish feed makers. The writer hopes neither is called into question for over-eagerness and that both mean well, but giving the same job to two bodies at once is very likely to add complications.

If the livestock ministry keeps responsibility for a healthy growing environment and treatment for poultry and fish while BSTI under the industries ministry controls their feed quality, there is a risk of serious harm. If poultry and fish fall sick, growth suffers, farmers lose out or other problems arise, each will blame the other: one office will say the feed was substandard, the other that treatment and care were wrong. Producers may also struggle to satisfy both sides, and the fast-growing, highly promising poultry and fish industry could face ruin.

In reality, feed mills do not produce human food directly; they make food for fish and poultry, whose health depends largely on its quality. Safe fish, meat and eggs therefore require safe feed. The questions are: which institution should oversee the supply of safe fish, meat and eggs by ensuring safe feed, medicine and proper treatment? Is the quality of all the thousands of BSTI-approved products beyond dispute? Can any one ministry oversee everything alone? Which institution has more qualified expert staff and wider reach to supervise the whole process?

Controlling feed quality alone is not enough; fish and poultry must also get proper treatment and conditions to grow healthily. That requires regular health checks, farm visits, proper care and expert advice to farmers, and checks on any misuse of chemicals or antibiotics. This needs the direct involvement of agricultural university graduates, and there is no alternative to the fisheries and livestock ministry here.

Alongside this, job opportunities for qualified agricultural university graduates must be increased, and a single ministry must be given all responsibility and accountability, which is essential for the proper growth of this expanding industry. In short, the job of ensuring safe fish and meat for people by raising healthy cattle, goats, poultry and fish should be given to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, and this should be done very quickly.

The writer is a former college principal, author and columnist.

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