FAISALABAD: Poultry is the second biggest emerging industry that may face complete annihilation further complicating the food security issues if dumped soybean consignments at Port Qasim were not cleared on emergency basis, warned Dr. Sajjad Arshad former chairman Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) and Senior Vice President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI).
Addressing a Press Conference, he said that solvent industry was importing GMO soybean for the last ten years. “Its oil is used for human consumption while its meal is used for the formulation of animal and poultry feed”, he said and added that this practice was going on for the last one decade and now its import is opposed despite of the fact that the same GMO soybean was used in America and other developed countries.
He said that there was no alternative to soybean meal which is an integral part of the poultry feed.
He said the delay in the release of imported soybean has created chaotic conditions in the domestic markets fomenting price hike in this field. He said that soybean which was sold at Rs. 95 per Kg was not available now at Rs. 300 per Kg.
He said that big feed mills have a stock of 45-60 days while 50 small units with limited resources have already been closed down. He termed it a bad augury in a country where 44% children are facing stunted growth, 43% people are experiencing malnutrition while 20% have to live even without meals.
He said that the poultry industry was catering to the 50% domestic needs of the meat through this cheap source of protein.
He said that this issue has been brought into the notice of Prime Minister and Minister for Food Security but no progress has been witnessed and this situation was worsening with each passing day.
He said that the poultry association has recorded its peaceful protests in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad while today we are raising this issue through this press conference in Faisalabad. He said that if the issue was not resolved, the two million workers directly attached with the poultry industry may come on the roads.
Responding to a question, he said that if the supply chain was once disrupted it may take years to revive. He hoped that the government and high ups would take this issue seriously and intervene for the immediate release of the stalled consignments.
Vice President Haji Aslam Bhalli, Dr. Ijaz Nisar, Dr. Shahid and office bearers of poultry association were also present during this press conference.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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