The country’s four giant chicken producers have assured to bring down poultry prices to Tk 190–195 per kg at the farm gate during Ramadan.
If their assurance is implemented, wholesale broiler chicken prices will come down by Tk 30–40 per kg.
The Director General of the Directorate of National Consumers Right Protection (DNCRP) has summoned representatives of four big players in the chicken market. The producers are Kazi Farms Limited, Aftab Bahumukhi Farms Limited, CP Bangladesh, and Paragon Poultry and Hatchery Limited on Thursday to find out the reason for the unreasonable increase in the price of poultry (broiler chickens) in the market.
After discussion, the four major producers in the poultry association have announced their decision on the price of broilers.
Director General of Directorate of National Consumers Right Protection (DNCRP) AHM Shafiquzzaman told reporters in the conference room of DNCRP at Karwan Bazar on the day after the meeting that broiler chicken will be sold at Tk 190-195 per kg at the farm level during the month of Ramadan.
"A meeting was held with representatives from Kazi, CP, Paragon, and Aftab farms. We have reached an agreement on poultry prices. Currently, broiler chicken is now sold at Tk 220–230 per kg at the farms' gates. But the farm owners agreed to sell broiler chicken from the farms at Tk 190–195 per kg during Ramadan," he said.
The decision to reduce the wholesale price will have an impact on consumers’ levels, he said.
"We will monitor the market. Hopefully, the prices will come down," he added.
Corporate institutions supply around 20 percent of the chicken demand in the market, while the rest of the supply comes from other farmers.
Earlier on Wednesday, AHM Shafiquzzaman said the price of each unit of broiler chicken can in no way exceed Tk 200, but consumers are being charged up to Tk 280 in various markets in the capital. He also stated that his team presented the government with eight proposals for corrective measures, and that if there is an irregularity in any market, action will be taken against the market management committee in question.
Earlier, the consumer rights protection directorate sent a market report to the commerce ministry as well as the ministry of fisheries and livestock, claiming the industrial-level production cost of each broiler chicken is Tk 135–140 and that for marginal farmers it is Tk 160.
