Speakers at a programme in the city on Friday emphasised on improved waste management at poultry farms to make the production process compliant with international safety standard.
They also suggested bringing all poultry farms, i.e., from small to commercial farms, breeders and feed mills under registration in order to ensure proper monitoring of those entities.
The views came at the inaugural session of a two-day seminar on "Safe and Sustainable Poultry Production" organised by World's Poultry Science Association Bangladesh Branch (WPSA-BB) at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB).
Director General of the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) Dr Monjur Mohammad Shahjada addressed the programme as the chief guest while
Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) Director General Dr SM Jahangir Hossain and G&S Agriconsultants Co Ltd Director Gordon Butland, among others, also spoke at the event presided over by WPSA-BB President Moshiur Rahman.
Dr Shahjada said food safety has been a priority agenda of the government as it has been working with the poultry industry entrepreneurs to improve food and feed safety standards.
The uses of prebiotics and probiotics have been increasing significantly in the industry which indicates that antibiotics use in feed and poultry has also been declined, he added.
Noting that people of all ages, including children and old persons, consume poultry meat and egg, WPSA-BB President Moshiur Rahman also said that better safety must be ensured.
"We have to improve bio-security and better waste management to reduce spread of disease and save the environment," he stressed.
All the unregistered feed mills, breeder farms and commercial poultry farms should get registered as soon as possible to ensure safety and sustainability of the sector, he added.
Mr Moshiur Rahman also urged the consumers to be more cautious about their safety as only farmers' awareness is not enough in this regard.
In his address, Mr Butland said the global animal protein industry is going through a very difficult period due to the Covid-19 pandemic which caused high cost of raw material, poor output and challenges of diseases.
As soon as the industry started recovering from the pandemic, the war between Russia and Ukraine has created new challenges for the sector like grain shortage in feed industry, fertiliser price rise, increase in energy price, etc., he said.
The pandemic may be over from the health perspective but its economic effects are now beginning to be felt, he added.
Currently, around 45 per cent of meat in the country comes from poultry while annual per capita egg consumption is 105.
