The marginal farmers are facing significant losses, with an estimated cost of Tk 200 crore in the last 10 days, due to the ongoing severe heat wave sweeping across the country.

The dire situation is leading to the deaths of over one lakh chickens on a daily basis which may push up both chicken and egg prices, according to the Bangladesh Poultry Association (BPA).

On one hand, the farmers are grappling with a shortage of poultry chicks while on the other hand, they are compelled to buy these chicks at double prices than usual, ranging from Tk 80 to Tk 90.

Amid the situation, poultry and egg production have seen a decline from four to 10 percent. This trend indicates that there will likely be a shortage of chicken and eggs in the market shortly if the heat wave continues, said the BPA in a press statement on Thursday.

More than one million broilers, layers and sonali chickens died across the country in the last 10 to 12 days of which 80 percent were broilers, 10-15 percent layers and 05 percent were sonali chickens.

As a result, the total loss in the sector stood at Tk 200 crore in the last 10 days, said the press statement.

If the prevailing heat wave continues for several more days, the poultry farmers will be forced to close their farms resulting in substantial decline in the poultry and egg production in the country.

Taking advantage, the corporate egg traders and organised syndicates are already engaged in devising strategies to hike chicken and egg prices from June.

The BPA leaders called upon the government to take initiatives against the clique otherwise the chicken and egg prices could skyrocket by August.