Bangladesh will achieve self-sufficiency in eggs this year and the country is very close to meeting that target of per capita egg consumption within this fiscal. State Minister for Livestock, Md. Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru said this while addressing a meeting as chief guest marking World Egg Day at CIRDAP in the capital on Friday.
He said, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) - to be healthy, every human being needs to eat at least 104 eggs a year. According to the government's directorate of livestock, the country is very close to meeting that target in the next financial year.
With this achievement, the neighboring India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and other countries will be behind Bangladesh. This will be a major achievement of the country, said the state minister. “Country’s egg farmers are the major contributors to this achievement, but as the farm owners are not getting a fair price, they are facing losses. Therefore, government efforts are being made to start poultry insurance to prevent them from falling,” he added.
“The government is seriously considering giving eggs as school tiffin, considering the nutrition and well-being of the children”, the state minister hoped. Fazle Rahim Khan Shahriar, president of the World's Poultry Science Association-Bangladesh branch, on the occasion said, during 2014-15 egg production was 1099.52 crore which stood at 11976 crore during 2018-19 fiscal year. During this fiscal, almost 1781 crore eggs will be produced in the country.
“At the end of this fiscal year, there will be a transaction of Tk 12467 crore through egg production,” he added. Bangladesh Poultry Industries Central Council (BPICC) president Moshiur Rahman said, “If we can ensure two eggs a week for working people, including the RMG workers, their productivity will increase and they will remain active for a longer period”.
Livestock Ministry Secretary, Raichul Alam Mondal said that educated youths should come to the poultry profession. He also stressed using the latest technology to increase the egg production of the country and for this, proper training will be provided to the farm owners.
