Bangladesh: Poultry feed industry seeks corn export ban

Poultry feed prices have gone up internationally in the past few months, and the industry is seeking the ban in a bid to stabilise domestic poultry bird and egg prices, Bangladesh’s Financial Express reports.

Feed Industry Association of Bangladesh (FIAB) President Ihtehsham B. Shahjahan said prices of poultry feeds increased by nearly 80 to 100 per cent in the last month.

If the government does not impose ban on the export of locally produced maize, the poultry feed production cost will rise further hampering the chicken and egg production, he told the FE.

Corn constitutes 55% of the poultry feed, millers said.

Since a major supplier like that of India has slowed down its corn export due to production shortfall, there is a possibility of further price hike of the poultry feed.

It has also been alleged that some local businessmen were exporting maize to Nepal and other countries violating government order.

The government now allows conditional maize export. Local businessmen can make shipment of maize to other countries if they get minimum price of US$325 or above per tonne.

He added that a good quantity of maize is being smuggled out to neighbouring India due to its high price there.

The domestic price of has already gone up by nearly 40% over the last year.

Saidur Rahman Babu, General Secretary of the Breeder’s Association of Bangladesh said that 60% of poultry farms and 70% hatcheries & breeding farms were closed due to bird flu attack in 2007-2008 period.

“Many of the farmers have been trying to revive their production. But the fresh price hike of maize and other feeds in the local and international markets has hit the struggling poultry farmers hard,” he added.