Poultry sector faces crisis from DOC production instability: Experts
Speakers explained that chicken price fluctuations have a direct impact on Day-Old Chick production
Instability in the production of Day-Old Chicks (DOCs) is emerging as a major threat to the sustainability of Bangladesh's poultry sector, speakers highlighted during the the closing ceremony of a three-day training programme on 'Hatchery Management', held from 16 to 18 June, at a hotel in Gulshan, Dhaka.
The workshop aimed to provide practical guidance to hatchery owners, staff, and stakeholders on building and managing modern hatcheries aligned with international standards.
Speakers explained that chicken price fluctuations have a direct impact on DOC production. When prices rise, overproduction occurs, eventually depressing prices and profitability. Conversely, price drops lead to production cuts, resulting in shortages of poultry and eggs. This cycle of imbalance poses a sustainability risk to the entire value chain.
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Beyond production volatility, the sector also faces multiple challenges: hatching inefficiencies, lack of modern technology, inadequate transport and storage, poor management, environmental concerns, and disease outbreaks. The shortage of skilled personnel and underdeveloped marketing and distribution networks further hinder growth.
Experts, including Osman Haruni, senior policy advisor at the Dutch Embassy; Mostafa Kamal, secretary of the Bangladesh Poultry Industries Central Council (BPICC); and Zahidul Islam, managing director of Axon Limited, stressed the importance of investing in hatchery quality, staff training, and Dutch-Bangladesh collaboration.
Naziba Ali, business analyst at LightCastle Partners, presented the keynote on PoultryTechBangladesh. Training sessions were led by Gerd de Lange and Lotte Hebnick from Royal Pas Reform.
With around 90,000–100,000 hatcheries and nearly 6 million people employed in the sector, Bangladesh's poultry industry is growing rapidly—contributing 1.6% to GDP. Experts estimate that poultry product demand will double by 2050, reinforcing the need for strategic investment in hatchery modernisation and skill development.
The event was part of the PoultryTechBangladesh project, jointly organised by Larive International, LightCastle Partners, Axon Limited, and Royal Pas Reform, with support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
