Bangladesh to achieve self-reliance in egg production

State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Md Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru said Bangladesh is going to achieve self-reliance in egg production within the current fiscal year. 

He made the projection while attending a roundtable discussion organized at the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific auditorium to commemorate the World Egg Day 2019 on Friday.

Sources from the Department of Livestock Services said the projected target for egg production has been set at 1,781 crores with a trade value of Tk12,467 crores this year. 

Meanwhile, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the minimum requirement of egg consumption per person is 104 per year. 

"Bangladesh was very close to that target last year when the per capita egg consumption was 103. It will obviously cross the target by reaching 105 by the end of this fiscal year," said Md Ashraf.

He continued, "It would be a great achievement for the ministry and Bangladesh will be well ahead of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and many other countries in the sector. The egg farmers are the key players of this success. 

"But the farmers are suffering from instable market price. The government will soon introduce poultry insurance to help them. The government is also positive about providing boiled eggs in school tiffin."

Quoting the Department of Livestock Services, Fazle Rahim Khan Shahriar, president of World's Poultry Science Association Bangladesh Branch said the egg production in Bangladesh was around 1,099 crore in 2014-15 fiscal year, which has been expected to reach at 1,781 crore in the current fiscal year. 

He also said the trade centring egg was around Tk8,338.68 crore in 2015-16 fiscal year and it is expected that the amount will exceed Tk12,467 crore by the end of 2019-20.

"If we can ensure two eggs a week for working people including the garment workers it will be a great help for the egg industry in line with increasing people's productivity and life span," said Moshiur Rahman, president of Bangladesh Poultry Industries Coordination Committee.

Benefits of egg

According to a recent study conducted by United States Department of Agriculture, at present a farmed egg contains 14 percent less cholesterol and 34 percent added vitamins compared to that of 10 years back. 

By eating four eggs a week, the risk of type-2 diabetes can be reduced by 37 percent. The possibility of breast cancer can be reduced by 40 percent by eating 6 eggs a week. 

If anyone eats one egg daily avoiding carbohydrates, the body weight can be dropped by up to 3 pounds a month. Moreover, only two eggs can meet about one-fourth of a woman's daily need for protein.