Poultry industry may double by 2035 in production, business: Central council president  

Bangladesh Poultry Industries Central Council (BPICC) President Shamsul Arefin Khaled has said in just 54 years, the availability of chicken meat has risen from 1 kg and 20 eggs per person annually to nearly 10 kg of chicken meat and 135 eggs.

"By 2035, we are hopeful that this number will double," he said yesterday (22 February) during the closing ceremony of the 13th International Poultry Show at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Center in Dhaka.

The event was jointly organised by the BPICC and World's Poultry Science Association Bangladesh Branch (WPSA-BB) attracting over 30,000 visitors, with a strong focus on new technologies.

The three-day exhibition covered various aspects of the poultry industry, including feed mills, hatcheries, breeder farms, commercial farms, processing, and recycling solutions. 

According to the organisers, nearly Tk1 crore worth of business deals were made during the exhibition. Over 200 companies from 27 countries showcased their products, technology, and services across 825 stalls.

Industry investment 

At the closing ceremony, WPSA-BB President Moshiur Rahman said the industry, which started from scratch, has now attracted nearly Tk40,000 crore in investment. By 2050, it could become an Tk80,000 crore industry. 

"For the industry to be sustainable, proper waste management plans must be in place for farm registrations. Poultry recycling could open new doors of opportunity, and incentives for technology imports would encourage entrepreneurs to set up new industries."

Technological innovations

Helen Xiong, regional sales manager at King Genset Company Ltd, a Chinese company participating in the event, told The Business Standard, "We are working on technology to generate electricity from poultry waste to produce biogas. Anyone with the capacity to rear 50,000 poultry birds can contact us to install the technology. 

"The investment required would be around Tk65-70 lakh, and the energy produced will recoup the costs in about six months. We began work in late 2023, and five projects have already been installed," she added.

Mehedi Hasan, who visited the event from Cumilla, said, "I've worked in poultry before, but now I am considering a tech-driven farm. Due to climate change, farmers are facing losses from storms, heatwaves, and cold spells. That's why I'm here to learn how to build climate-resilient sheds and improve farm management."

WPSA-BB General Secretary Biplab Kumar Pramanik said, "The exhibition received an unprecedented response, with 30,000 visitors despite being held on the outskirts of the city. The 14^th International Poultry Show will take place in 2027."

Abu Sufian, director general of the Department of Livestock Services, said proper use of advanced technology and skilled human resources will help drive the industry forward. 

Netherlands Charge d'Affaires in Bangladesh Andre Carstens also spoke positively about the progress of Bangladesh's poultry sector. 

"The Netherlands government is implementing the 'PoultryTechBangladesh' project to enhance the industry and strengthen cooperation between universities and research institutes of both countries," he added. 

He assured continued support from the Dutch government for the growth of the poultry sector.