Poultry meat and egg production in Gopalganj have declined as prolonged heatwaves and electricity load shedding continue to disrupt poultry farming, causing bird deaths, lower egg yields, and rising production costs.
Poultry farmers say extreme temperatures, coupled with frequent power outages, have triggered heat stress among chickens, leading to reduced productivity and financial losses. Although power supply has improved since Tuesday, they say the recent disruptions have already taken a toll on production.
According to the Gopalganj District Livestock Office, the district has approximately 2,500 poultry farms, including 2,177 broiler farms, 338 layer farms, and 391 duck farms. The district annually produces about 75,100 metric tonnes of poultry meat and 253.7 million eggs, including output from both commercial and backyard poultry.
Md Akibul Islam, owner of Bangla Agro Poultry Farm in Sajail village under Kashiani Upazila, said his farm currently houses around 2,500 broiler chickens.
"The extreme heat and repeated power cuts have caused severe heat stress among the birds," he said. "We are operating generators to keep the sheds cool, but that has significantly increased production costs."
He said producing one kilogram of broiler chicken now costs between Tk130 and Tk145, while the market price is around Tk140 per kilogram, leaving little or no profit. Bird mortality caused by heat stress has further increased losses.
"Power outages have eased since Tuesday, but uninterrupted electricity and lower poultry feed prices are essential if farmers are to recover," he added.
Suresh Bhadra, a layer farmer from Borampalta village in Muksudpur Upazila, said egg production has dropped by 10 to 20% during the recent heatwave.
"The chickens are struggling in the heat, and many die during the hottest hours of the day," he said. "I spend about Tk7,000 a day for every 1,000 birds but now collect only 800 to 900 eggs. At the same time, feed prices remain high while egg prices are low, making it difficult to stay profitable."
He urged the government to ensure a reliable electricity supply and fair market prices for eggs.
Gopalganj District Livestock Officer Dr Gobinda Chandra Sardar said around 10% of the district poultry farms have been affected by the combined impact of extreme heat and load shedding. Egg production has declined by 10 to 20%, he added.
He advised farmers to keep poultry houses as cool as possible during hot weather, provide birds with adequate drinking water and electrolyte solutions, and maintain strict biosecurity measures to minimize disease and heat-related losses.
Meanwhile, Gopalganj Rural Electricity Association General Manager Ziaur Rahman said the district's peak electricity demand stands at around 90 megawatts (MW).
"Load shedding rose when temperatures were at their highest because electricity demand increased," he said. "As temperatures have fallen, there has been no load shedding since Tuesday evening. There has never been continuous power rationing in the district; the duration of load shedding has varied depending on seasonal demand."
The recent heatwave has highlighted the vulnerability of the poultry sector to extreme weather and power shortages, with farmers warning that sustained disruptions could further affect meat and egg supplies unless reliable electricity and affordable production inputs are ensured.
