Poultry farmers in Bogura suffer loss

Some 200 poultry farms in Shajahanpur of Bogura have already closed down while another 100 are on its way to cease operations after suffering huge losses amid the Covid-19 pandemic situation.

Talking to The Business Post, most farmers blamed multiple reasons for their sufferings including a fall in demand for poultry and astronomical rise in prices of poultry feed after the pandemic began.

Farm owners said prices of chicken fell nearly 25 per cent as the hotel-restaurants remain closed after restrictions on movement and social gathering were enforced to stop the spread of the deadly virus.

About 5,200 poultry farms—among which 3000 to 3500 farms have already been closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic induced lockdown-- in the area have faced a loss of Tk 1.45 crore in the last two years, confirmed Shafiqul Islam Shafique, organizing secretary of Bogura Poutry Farm Owners’ Association.

At the same time, social events were also not being held where a large portion of the chickens were supplied before Covid-19.

Hasan Ali of Kharna Bahgari village started his poultry business in 2011 after receiving a weeklong training from Department of Youth Development.

Hasan, who is physically challenged, soon became a success businessman in the next few years and was awarded for his efforts by Department of Youth Development in 2018.

However, Hasan’s flourishing business fell into uncertainty when the pandemic began.

“The poultry industry in the upazila has been struggling with lower demand for egg and meat as many people have fallen under the poverty line due to coronavirus,” said Hasan.

In last two years, Hasan incurred a loss of Tk43 lakh during the pandemic.

Poultry feed trader Saiful Islam of Fultala area of the upazila said prices of the feed increased four times in last seven months.

Meanwhile, almost 60 per cent of poultry farms in the upazila have closed down.

Poutry traders Shahin Alam, M Firoz, Rashedul , Ariful , Babu and Rafiqul in the upazila said they will not be able to resume their businesses until and unless the pandemic situation improves and business activities return to normal.

The farmers demanded government support like easy loans and opportunities to export eggs and fowls abroad to revive the industry.

Upazila Livestock Officer Abul Kalam Shamsuddin said about 60 percent of the poultry farms were closed during the Covid-19 situation.

The owners have not been able to recover the losses from the damage and thus many farmers were compelled to shut down their farms, he added.

According media reports, poultry farms in Bogura district incurred massive losses in 2018 due to low market price of chicken and eggs.

According to the district livestock office, there were 3,800 poultry farms in the district. But more than 1,200 owners have closed their farms.

Earlier in 2015, a disastrous storm destroyed 40 percent of the poultry farms across the district.