Bangladesh Poultry Association on Tuesday urged the government not to allow egg import, in order to safeguard the local farmers.
The association, a platform of poultry dealers and farmers, said that the daily demand for eggs is around 45 million pieces whereas local farmers are producing 50 million pieces of egg a day.
An import syndicate wants to import eggs by creating an artificial crisis; marginal farmers will be the ultimate losers if the government permits egg import, the poultry association's President Sumon Howladar told a press conference organised by the platform at the Sagar-Runi Auditorium of the Dhaka Reporters Unity in the city.
The association has made a seven-point demand to the government, including not allowing a six-company syndicate to import eggs, in a bid to protect the greater interest of local farmers.
Mr Howladar placed the demands on behalf of the organisation.
He claimed that a group of six companies - Popular Trade Syndicate, Rip Enterprise, Ahmed Business and Commerce, Tiger Trading, Sazzad Enterprise, and Save and Safety International - recently sought permission from the commerce ministry to import 51 million eggs from India under the existing import policy.
These companies have intention to launder money in the name of egg import, he alleged.
The association demanded logical subsidies on poultry feed, day-old chick, and medicare.
The existing poultry policy should be implemented, and prices of products should be fixed as per the policy, it said.
The association also demanded forming a Poultry Board where the farmers and companies could get one-stop service.
It also asked the authorities concerned to bring all farmers under registration by reducing fees of the process.
Suman Howladar said currently the poultry industry is already under severe threat.
"Permitting egg import will serve another blow to the poultry farmers," he observed. "Our urgent request to the prime minister is to stop the import of eggs and protect the marginal farmers."
The poultry association president alleged that a few corporate companies have looted millions of taka from their contract growers and field employees through cheating.
Meanwhile, farm egg prices declined by Tk 10-12 per dozen in a month as brown eggs were selling at Tk 120-132 a dozen in the kitchen markets and groceries.
