Bangladesh Poultry Industries Coordination Committee (BPICC) urged the government to provide especial security for the vehicles carrying poultry as the sector has been incurring losses due to political violence that put a halt to transport of eggs, chicken and broilers.
The poultry business people also urged the political parties to consider their trademark vehicles outside the blockade and hartals’ purview and to come to a peaceful solution to the existing political crises.
They made the call at a media briefing held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium yesterday to present the status of poultry sector in the country.
In the last 15 months, the business sector has already incurred a loss of Tk4,500 crore due to political unrest and if the turmoil continues not only the poultry industry but also other industries will collapse, resulting in a slowdown in national economic growth, said Moshiur Rahman, convener of BPICC.
He also said their business sector suffered a loss of Tk256 crore during the 14-day hartal and blockades that started on 5 January 2015.
According to the poultry producers, since January 5, poultry farmers produced 8 crore eggs, of which 30% remained unsold due to unrest and 99 lakh day-old-chicks could not be marketed.
On the other hand the fare of trucks rose to Tk80,000 from 25,000 and it has been totally impossible to transport eggs and chicken as the drivers are unwilling to run vehicles with risk, said MM Khan, secretary general, Bangladesh Poultry Industries Association (BPIA).
“We have to pay for police escort, but that is not enough because police do not provide support all through the route,” he added.
A memorandum was also submitted to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, seeking compensation and to take measures to ensure escort service for the vehicles carrying poultry products, Khan said, adding that they would place another memorandum to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, urging her not to announce violent political programme and to come to a peaceful solution for ending political cries.
Khan maintained that prices of eggs and chicken are on the rise very fast due to supply shortage while producers are incurring loss.
If the situation keeps deteriorating, small and medium farmers would be the biggest losers, he observed.
“We are losing our investment every day. Eggs and chickens supply chain has been completely disrupted due to lack of transport,” said Fazle Rahim Khan Shahriar, president of Breeders’ Association of Bangladesh.
“If we cannot do business, how shall we repay bank loan as we have incurred loss last year?” he posed a question.
Shahriar called upon the 20-party alliance to keep the egg, chicken, day-old chicks, feed, vaccine and other raw materials-laden vehicles out of the purview of every hartal, blockade and violent political programme.