State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salahuddin Tuku today spoke at a consultation meeting on the livestock sector at a city hotel in Dhaka. Photo : PID

DHAKA, April 19, 2026 (BSS) - State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salahuddin Tuku today said the government aims to transform the poultry industry into an export-oriented sector by 2030 with financial support.

He said this at a consultation meeting on the livestock sector at a city hotel.

The state minister also emphasised the importance of small-scale farmers, warning that the sustainability of large farms depends on their survival. “If small farmers cannot sustain themselves, the entire sector will be at risk,” he said.

Tuku highlighted the financial strain on poultry farmers, noting that while the cost of producing an egg is around Taka 9, farmers are currently forced to sell at about Taka 7—incurring a loss of Taka 2 per egg.

 He assured that the government would step in with support measures to address the situation.

Addressing concerns over supply chain practices, the state  minister urged all actors—from feed producers and hatcheries to distributors and retailers—to ensure a “win-win” environment that protects both producers and consumers from unfair pricing pressures.

On vaccine imports, he called for greater accountability, saying importers must handle their responsibilities with caution and transparency.

Speaking as a special guest, Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Md Delwar Hossain reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing full support to the sector and pledged to curb the influence of middlemen, which he said contributes to market distortions.

Bangladesh Poultry Industries Central Council (BPICC) president Moshiur Rahman chaired the programme while Livestock Services Department director general Md. Shahzaman Khan, World’s Poultry Science Association Bangladesh Branch (WPSA-BB) president Shamsul Arefin Khaled and Feed Industries Association of Bangladesh general secretary Md Anwarul Haque also spoke.

Senior government officials, industry representatives and poultry farmers also attended the event.