Bangladesh poultry producers plan to enter the global market in the next three years, said President of World’s Poultry Science Association-Bangladesh Branch (WPSA-BB) Moshiur Rahman yesterday.
“By 2018, we can begin to export our poultry products,” he said at the concluding session of the 9th International Poultry Show and Seminar 2015 at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital.
“Bangladesh’s poultry sector is growing by 16% annually and, if the growth rate is raised to 18%-20%, chicken meat will be the most preferred meat by 2030,” he added.
He said the government was working on food and nutrition security to meet the demand of the growing population. And Bangladesh’s poultry industry, in collaboration with the WPSA, is also working with the same goal in mind.
“We hope poverty and malnutrition will be greatly reduced by 2050, if the government and non-government organisations work in close collaboration.”
According to Rahman, eggs and chicken meat are relatively safer, cheaper, and healthier protein sources. “It takes at least one and a half years for a cow to get matured for meat, 7-9 months for a goat, and 4-9 months for a fish. On the contrary, a chicken is ready in 30-32 days.”
Speaking at the concluding ceremony, Mike Robson, country representative of The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) opined the poultry industry would play a crucial role in meeting the nutrition deficit of the Bangladeshi people.
He said the intake of eggs and chicken meat should be enhanced among the Bangladeshi consumers.
Referring to the incredible progress made by Brazil, WPSA International President Professor EN Silva said Brazil could be a model for Bangladesh to replicate.
Secretary of WPSA Dr Roel Mulder and General Secretary of WPSA-BB Rafiqul Haque, among others, also spoke at the event.
The country’s poultry sector has already generated around six million jobs, and is expected to employ around 10 million people by 2020.
Companies, researchers, and poultry scientists from 23 countries across the world participated in the 3-day show, which began on Thursday.
A 28-inch LED television, a refrigerator, and a tablet gadget were distributed among the winners in the competition titled Wishing Hen Quiz and Game Show.
ACI Animal Health won first prize of the Best Stall Award, Renata Animal Health placed second, and Facco Equipment Limited bagged the third prize.
