The Bangladesh Poultry Khamar Rakkha Jatiya Parishad (BPKRJP) has demanded a Tk 350 cut in the price of a 50 kg sack of poultry feed, which has been rising steadily.

Khandaker Mohsin, the organisation's general secretary, told Agricare24.com that a cut of Tk 6 to Tk 7 a kg in poultry feed was the demand of the time. The commerce ministry had decided to stop soybean exports to India, he said, and within a day of the ministry's announcement soybean meal fell from Tk 49.20 to Tk 44.60 delivered to Gazipur. Maize fell by Tk 4, from Tk 32 to Tk 28. On that basis, he said, feed should be Tk 6 to Tk 7 a kg cheaper, and he urged feed millers to cut prices.

He added that farmers were in trouble because of constantly rising feed prices. "Feed millers have formed a group and are sucking farmers dry. If they give a small concession, farmers will survive. If they pass a small share of their profit to farmers, it is possible to cut Tk 300 to Tk 350 per sack."

Feed prices from the various companies remain unchanged. Nourish's 50 kg layer feed sells for Tk 2,220 today, broiler feed for Tk 2,610, Sonali feed for Tk 2,400 and starter feed for Tk 2,400. CP's 50 kg broiler feed costs Tk 2,526, Sonali Tk 2,340 and layer Tk 2,140.

A sack of Saguna feed costs Tk 2,540 for broiler, Tk 2,340 for Sonali and Tk 2,160 for layer. Biswas charges Tk 2,570 for broiler, Tk 2,340 for Sonali and Tk 2,175 for layer feed. Aman's broiler feed costs Tk 2,750 and a sack of Sonali chicken feed Tk 2,525.

The BPKRJP also said that although the 2021-22 budget announced a cut in poultry feed prices, it was not followed. Ignoring the budget announcement, feed prices were raised three times after the budget: first by Tk 50 at the start of the year, then by Tk 75 and most recently by Tk 100. Before the budget, prices had been raised by Tk 275. In all, a sack of feed has risen by Tk 500, and the group demanded a swift cut.

Moshiur Rahman, president of the Bangladesh Poultry Industries Central Council (BPICC), said: "Although late, we welcome and thank the commerce ministry for its decision. We hope that in future the ministry will consult our association and the ministries concerned before deciding on any matter affecting the industry, because from the start the commerce ministry ignored the views of the poultry associations, the fisheries and livestock ministry and the agriculture ministry when it allowed soybean meal exports."

Asked whether feed prices would now fall, the BPICC president said: "We hope feed prices can be brought down to a bearable level, but it will take some time. We hope prices of other feed raw materials on the international market will fall within the next month or two. In short, when raw material prices fall we will certainly adjust by cutting feed prices, because alongside business it is our moral duty to look after the interests of farmers and consumers."

Meanwhile, higher international maize prices have affected the local market. According to data from February this year, maize prices in the US market reached a six-year high, and maize rose 1 per cent on the back of rising demand in China, Agriculture.com reported.

Because of adverse weather in South America, US soybean prices were also firm and wheat prices high. Soybeans rose 0.8 per cent to $13.81 a bushel. Experts say demand for soybeans rose mainly because of fears that rain would damage production in Brazil.

Source: Staff Correspondent. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.