LAHORE: Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) Vice Chairman Muhammad Fargham on Saturday urged the government to provide a bailout package for the poultry industry which he said has been badly affected due to the economic slowdown caused by Covid-19 pandemic.
PPA vice chairman said that almost 35 to 40 per cent of poultry farms have been closed down while the rest of the sector is facing heavy losses due to the prolonged closure of marriage halls and the hotel industry due to coronavirus.
Addressing a press conference, he said that the poultry sector has been facing losses for the past six months due to high cost of production coupled with the falling purchasing power of consumers. He said that the cost of production for the sector increased manifold due to the increase in cost of borrowing and capital financing.
He urged the government to uplift businesses which have been hit by the Covid-19 pandemic and launch financial programmes for the revival of closed industrial units. He said that the food sector should be on top of the government priority list in this regard as the sector is vital to ensure food security.
He also urged banks to immediately provide loans to the poultry sector according to the State Bank of Pakistan’ s (SBP) directives adding that such loans should be provided without the condition of showing past records.
He further said that loans should be provided on lowest markup rates to farms and companies.
The PPA vice chairman said that sanction of new loans for poultry farms should be ensured in order to ensure continuity of production activities.
He also urged the government to provide an exemption to the poultry sector on import duty and all taxes related to poultry vaccines, medicines, raw materials and machinery so that the sector can reduce its cost of production.
He said that poultry farmers have experienced heavy losses during the last few months adding that the sector will collapse if the government does not announce a relief package.
the price went upto Rs 330/kg here in sialkot( and this farm chicken is semi dead and the smell ….unmanigiable) and even than they have suffered losses….totally flase statement
Honorable Chairman PPA Mr. Fargham Mr. Fouzi comments are self explanatory. However the duty, tax relief on import of Medicines, Vaccines, technology related equipment/tools should be relieved on Custom Duty. What is important Mr. Fouzi comments will then result to consider opening the import of Poultry Chicken, eggs for a fair justifiable poultry quality in Pakistan. The ill fed poultry birds without an standardisation Quality of Production in poultry would be strictly checked monitored, or else they should be subjected to very strict quality control on international parameters.