Considering the current animal stock in the country's farms and the investment of young entrepreneurs, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock will not consent to the import of sacrificial animals ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
Ministry sources said that local farms are capable of fulfilling the demand for sacrificial animals, and therefore the government is against the idea of importing animals ahead of Eid.
According to the meat sellers' association in the capital, beef sales have seen a sharp fall this year. They blame the increased cattle price for the situation. According to them, one-third of their sales have now vanished. As a result, many are considering closing down their businesses. They also attribute the fall in demand to the rising rate of inflation in the country. Again, a huge amount of beef is entering Bangladesh in the name of frozen products. Rabiul Islam, president of Dhaka Metropolitan Meat Vendors Association, said that traders are suffering as a result of all these happenings.
On April 7, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira met State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu in Dhaka. During the meeting, Vieira offered to sell frozen beef to Bangladesh.
After the meeting, Minister Ahsanul Islam Titu confirmed the proposal to reporters, saying: "We have asked Brazil to send live cows instead of meat, if possible, before the upcoming Eid al-Azha."
Subsequently, on May 5, the Bangladesh Safe Food Authority (BSFA) formed a committee to finalize the Frozen Meat Import, Storage, and Distribution Policy 2023.
Stakeholders believe that once this policy is in place, there will be no obstacles to importing frozen meat.
Earlier on April 28, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdur Rahman said that there is no need to import sacrificial cattle this Eid. The government will not allow the import of animals under any circumstances, as there is enough of a stock of animals in the country.
On May 16, the minister said there will be no crisis of sacrificial animals during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. The government is fully prepared for the supply and management of sacrificial animals, he said at the inter-ministerial meeting on demand assessment, supply, and ensuring easy transportation of sacrificial animals on the occasion of the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.
As in previous years, the demand for sacrificial animals has been determined, he said, adding that there are 22,77,973 more cattle than demand. This year, a supply of 1,29,80,367 sacrificial animals is expected, which is 4,44,034 more than last time.
The minister told this reporter that the import of frozen meat should be discouraged for the sake of thousands of young entrepreneurs across the country. He said that the government is supporting private sector investment in the sector, and the import of frozen meat will hurt local businesses.
Regarding the price of meat, which has reached Tk800 per kg, the minister stressed strengthening market monitoring by the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection. Also, the cost of meat will come down if animal feed is made cheaper, he acknowledged. Per kg of grain fodder costs Tk50 to Tk55, and the price of grass that is produced scientifically costs Tk4 to Tk6. He said that farmers should consider changing animal feed in this regard.
Meanwhile, the government has decided to increase VAT on imported meat. The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has taken the necessary initiatives in this regard. Earlier, the Bangladesh Tariff Commission sent a report to the NBR on the expansion of the industry. In the report, the commission mentioned that frozen beef has been coming into Bangladesh from such countries as Australia, India and Malaysia. In the financial year 2016-17, the volume of imported beef was 20 tons. It was 55 tons in the previous financial year. In 2014-15, only 18 tons were imported, according to the report.
The commission also said that many people, including unemployed youth, are now investing in cattle farming. As a result, the potential of this sector is also increasing. In such a situation, the decision to import meat will harm this industry.
The Bangladesh Dairy Farmers Association has also called for a ban on the import of frozen meat to save the country's farmers. The president of the organization, Mohammad Imran Hossain, said that for the benefit of the cattle farmers of the country, the government should import fodder through TCB and arrange quick distribution of the imported fodder among farmers at the grassroots level. The import of frozen meat from any other country, including India, should be stopped immediately, he added. Additionally, income tax exemption should be given for 20 years at the farm level, while farmers should also be given loan facilities at low interest without collateral. Animal vaccinations, medicines and medical services should be facilitated and provided free of cost, Imran Hossain demanded.
