Poultry Association accuses breeder, feed cos of market manipulation

Highlights

• Poultry Association alleges 10–12 cos controlling the sector
• It claims large cos create artificial crises to inflate chick prices before major events
• Syndicate allegedly made Tk960cr in six months through inflated chick prices
• DNCRP confirmed syndicate activities in 2022
• Competition Commission fined several cos, but High Court stays allowed them to continue operations

The Bangladesh Poultry Association (BPA) has accused 10 to 12 companies from the Breeder Association Bangladesh and Feed Industries Association Bangladesh of holding the poultry sector hostage.

Speaking at a press conference at the Crime Reporters Association office in Segunbagicha in the capital today (1 March), BPA President Md Suman Howlader questioned the government's inaction.

"Why can't the government control these companies despite their names repeatedly appearing in news headlines? Are they stronger than the government?" he asked.

He stated that in August 2022, the BPA had exposed the activities of a syndicate through a press conference.

Following this, the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection investigated and confirmed the existence of the syndicate, submitting a report to the Ministry of Commerce.

Bangladesh Competition Commission later filed cases against 8 to 10 poultry companies, imposing fines on four of them. Another company was fined on 26 February this year.

However, Howlader claimed that these companies appealed to the High Court, securing stays on the cases, which has allowed them to continue their operations with minimal consequences.

He alleged that after the government set the price of eggs and chickens on 15 September last year, large companies reduced chick production the very next day, creating an artificial crisis.

"The price of chicken chicks is deliberately increased at various times, including before Shab-e-Barat, Ramadan, and Eid," he said.

Asserting the BPA's role in safeguarding small farmers and consumer rights, he said, "We are working to protect the interests of farmers and ensure employment for 50 to 60 lakh people, as well as the proper development of the poultry industry. However, due to the ineffectiveness of government measures, large corporations continue to conspire against small entrepreneurs like us."

According to Howlader, breeder companies produce 2 crore chicks per week and 8 crore per month.

If an additional profit of Tk120 per chick is considered, the syndicate gains approximately Tk960 crore in just six months.

Meanwhile, small-scale farmers are struggling to sustain production due to unfair pricing, putting millions of jobs at risk.