Bangladesh's per capita protein consumption especially chicken and egg has increased significantly as the local poultry industry plays a vital role in this regard, experts said Saturday.
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) in its latest Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2016 report said daily per capita consumption of major meat like chicken, duck and beef as well as fish and egg has increased compared to that in 2010.
Among those protein items, intake of eggs and chickens has jumped significantly over the last six years, the HIES 2016 data showed.
According to the statistics, egg consumption by a person has increased to 13.58 grams daily in 2016 from only 7.20 grams in 2010.
Daily egg consumption per capita was only 5.27gm in 2000 and 5.15gm in 2005, BBS statistics showed.
Similarly, chicken and duck consumption has picked up to 17.33gm per day in 2016 compared to 11.22gm in 2010.
In 2000, per capita chicken and duck intake was 4.50gm which increased to 6.85gm daily in 2005, the HIES data showed.
Experts said the contribution of Bangladesh's poultry industry was significant as businessmen supply huge chickens and eggs in the market at affordable prices over the years.
Director General of Department of Livestock Services Dr Md Ainul Haque told the FE that the country's growing poultry industry was playing a vital role in supplying animal protein across the country at affordable prices.
Some 60-65 thousand poultry farms across the country are producing chickens and eggs every day, he added.
The industry started flourishing since late 80s which now becomes a driver to supply a significant amount of animal protein for the human body, Dr Haque said.
Bangladesh Poultry Industry Coordination Council (BPICC) said they have invested more than Tk 300 billion in the sector while it was only Tk 15 billion in 1980s.
For the first time in 1935, poultry birds were imported. In 1947, only six commercial poultry farms started operation in the country.
Once the tiny poultry sector had attained the "agri-based industry" title in 1994, Bangladesh's poultry industry has been growing significantly.
BPICC president Moshiur Rahman said the production in the country's poultry industry had been boosting every year, making animal protein available in the market.
Dr Munzur Murshid Khan, Secretary General of Bangladesh Poultry Industries Association (BPIA), told the FE that the prices of chickens and eggs remained almost stable over last 5-6 years, resulting in higher consumption by the people.
"The prices of eggs and chickens are still very low compared to any other animal protein in Bangladesh. Besides, public awareness has increased a lot. Both the factors have contributed to boosting egg and chicken consumption over the years," he said.
Besides, the HIES 2016 data showed that per capita daily beef consumption increased to 7.54gm in 2016 from 6.84gm in 2010 while fish consumption to 62.58gm in 2016 from 49.50gm in 2010.
However, per capita mutton consumption decreased a little bit to 0.55gm daily in 2016 from 0.59gm six years ago in 2010.
