Fledgling opportunity gone fowl: Government poultry farms fumble chance to offset private monopoly

Government-run chicken farms currently serve merely as “showcases” that do not operate commercially, despite having the potential to balance the growing dominance of private enterprises.

The government facilities are equipped to produce and sell chicks, eggs, and even prepare feed, with the cost of eggs and chicken remaining comparatively low.

These farms could strategically counteract the growing monopoly of large private firms. However, this potential remains unrealised due to the government's lack of proactive engagement and its passive stance as they prefer to "remain a child”.

While they aim to position themselves as "role models," it is unclear which ideals these farms aim to exemplify. Neglect due to insufficient investment means farm production has stagnated and the facilities are deteriorating. Sheds are collapsing, incubators are failing, and production has hit an all-time low.

Customers have to wait a year for their orders for chicks, making the farms an unreliable option.

The inefficiency has given private companies free rein over the chick and chicken production and marketing. The lack of motivation among farm employees has further eroded productivity and the upkeep of facilities.

The collapsing sheds and deteriorating infrastructure have led employees to neglect their duties, as there is no motivation or obligation to maintain productivity or generate income.

At the central government farm in Mirpur, several popular varieties such as golden chicken have been developed successfully and are currently thriving. But none of the 28 government farms overseen by the Department of Livestock Services is in better condition than the central farm in Mirpur.

Conversations with officials and employees from at least 15 farms reveal that most are barely functional, with some having unusable chicken and chick sheds and others facing a manpower crisis.

This raises questions about the farms' ability to operate at full capacity.

Leaders from two farmers' associations have voiced concerns that commercialising these government farms could depress prices for small-scale farmers and put competitive pressure on the private sector.

Conversely, Reazul Haque, Director General of the Department of Livestock Services, mentioned plans to renovate the farms without transitioning them to commercial operations.

Meanwhile, Md Aftabuzzaman, Associate Professor at the Poultry Science Department of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, has called for a policy shift by the government to address these issues.

DESPERATION AT CENTRAL FARM

During a recent visit to the government's central poultry farm in Dhaka’s Mirpur, it was found that no new sheds had been added.

Out of the existing 43 sheds, only 22 are currently operational. The remaining 21 have deteriorated or become unusable, with eight of them being completely abandoned and overrun by weeds due to prolonged neglect.

Mohammad Bozlur Rahman, the farm's director, openly acknowledged some challenges. 

He said that a few sheds were removed during the construction of the National Zoo parking.

Moreover, three out of the farm's six incubators are out of order, prompting the recent acquisition of one from Jashore.

Although the farm used to produce 200,000 chicks per month, it now only manages to hatch 40,000, despite an average egg production of 80,000.

The training and staff rooms, along with other infrastructure, are also in a state of disrepair.

Bozlur expressed his disappointment, saying, "When I first arrived here, I was really upset by the condition of the sheds. They were in bad shape, and some were even unusable. Afterwards, I fixed some sheds to make them work again.

"We aim for automation and climate-smart shelters. Recently, during a heatwave, we struggled to protect the chickens. I hired two people to manually provide water using jute sacks on tin roofs. However, this method is no longer efficient."

Detailing the ideal shed, Bozlur explained, "We need shelters equipped to manage changing temperatures and humidity levels. Without them, maintaining the chickens' well-being is challenging."

Bibek Chandra Roy, a poultry geneticist at the farm, said that since its establishment in 1976, the 8.27-hectare farm has been self-sufficient, handling all tasks from egg production to chick hatching and food production.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) sponsored the farm, which is evident in their logo still visible on the machinery, although these machines are now around 50 years old.

The government farm could have set an example by maintaining reasonable prices amidst the rising costs of chicks and feed. 

If similar infrastructure were established in the other 28 farms, it could have significantly impacted the market. However, this would require a special initiative.

FARMS OUTSIDE DHAKA

According to the Department of Livestock Services website, besides the central farm in Mirpur, there are 27 more farms nationwide.

Chattogram has two farms, one in Pahartali and another in Sitakunda. Dhaka also has two, one in Savar and the other in Mirpur. The remaining 23 farms are each situated in a different district.

Fifteen farm workers were interviewed for the report and they revealed that about 49 sheds on these farms have become unusable, mostly due to deterioration. 

Officials also noted manpower shortages in at least 13 farms.

Md Enamul Haque, the poultry development officer or PDO at the Tangail Government Poultry Breeding and Development Farm, said, "Out of our 11 sheds here, eight are operational, but unfortunately, the remaining three are in disrepair and not usable. The condition of the incubator is also subpar."

Didarul Ahsan, the manager of the Jamalpur Government Poultry Breeding and Development Farm, said, "We have only one shed here, and it's not in good condition. However, we are managing to carry out our work somehow."

Sakhawat Hossain, the PDO of the Sitakunda farm in Chattogram, said that out of their 14 sheds, at least four are not usable.

Poly Rani Ghosh, the manager of a chicken breeding farm in Rangamati, said, "We have four sheds, but unfortunately, two of them are completely unusable, and the other two are in poor condition. Despite plans for providing a shed by the district council, it hasn't materialised, and we are facing a shortage of manpower."

Ashraful Alam, PDO of Rangpur farm, mentioned that three out of their 19 sheds are unusable, while the rest are not very convenient either.

POULTRY FARMING GOALS

According to officials from the Department of Livestock Services, the first government poultry farm was established at Jamalganj in Joypurhat's Akkelpur Upazila, in 1937, to supply chicken and eggs to the British army before World War II. Seven more farms were built over time. 

Subsequently, between 1976 and 1992, an additional 20 chicken farms were set up under government initiatives. 

However, in the past 30 years, there has not been any establishment of government chicken farms in the country.

Bibek, from the Mirpur central farm, said: "At one point, BRAC operated a small chick rearing unit in agreement with the government. They sourced food and chicks from there. Currently, we produce according to our own requirements."

"We offer chicken chicks to low-income individuals at affordable prices for personal farming. This helps them meet their protein needs and earn extra income by selling chicken or eggs.

He believes that government farms also serve as encouragement for people to start their own commercial farms.

Preserving purebred chicken breeds like Sonali, White Rock (WR), Fayoumi, Rhode Island Red (RIR), Barred Plymouth Rock (BPR), and Light Sussex (LS) is another goal, said Bibek.

"However, there isn't a separate website or easy access to detailed information about these farms," he said.