LAHORE: University of Veterinary and Animal Science (UVAS) Vice Chancellor Prof Talat Naseer Pasha has said that over 70 percent of the total poultry farming of the country is being done in Punjab which needs special attention from authorities concerned.
He said that 80 per cent of egg production, 85 percent feed production and 100 percent of the poultry processing units have been established in Punjab and the sector can play an important role in meeting agricultural shortcomings.
He said that the province had played an important role in checking prices of mutton, beef and pulses; therefore, any adverse effects on poultry industry would have negative affects on main food items like sugar and wheat flour.
Highlighting the contribution of the poultry industry to economy, Prof Pasha said that the sector had provided employment to over 1.7million people. “It also adds to the social empowerment of women who can run their own poultry business in the rural areas,” he said.
He added that the poultry industry had also contributed to addresses issues of national food security and reduces malnutrition. “Prior to 2013, the poultry sector was free of import duty and sales tax on imports of all its needs. During the period of being free from taxes, the poultry industry was expanding at an appreciable rate of 8 to 10 per cent annually,” he maintained.
About the impediments to the growth of poultry, he said soybean meal import was a major issue, which is one of the most important ingredients to produce quality poultry feed. He said negligible quantity of soybean meal was being produced in the country from imported Soya seed.
Similarly, he said, import of other ingredients of the poultry feed, including amino acid and maize, were also the reasons of high prices of poultry feed, consequently increasing the cost of white meat.
He suggested enhancing import duty on fresh, frozen, chilled, processed chicken meat and value-added products to support local poultry farming.
He said India had imposed 100 percent import duty on import of processed chicken and its value added products to safeguard and encourage its nascent poultry farming and processing sector.
“Continuation of exemption of sales tax on export of processed chicken products, Pakistan currently processes five percent of total 1.2 billion broilers as compared to the West market, which is 95 percent of the total chicken produced.”
He said processed chicken by parts such as wings; gizzard, neck, soup bones were being sold at very low prices ranging from Rs 15 to Rs 80 per kg providing high value protein to masses.
He also called for withdrawal of all import duties and taxes on poultry feed ingredients, plant and machinery, and grandparent day old chick for the betterment of the poultry sector.
Prof Pasha also suggested activating Pakistani embassies in Middle East and Arab countries to make arrangements for exhibition of poultry products to boost exports there.
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