Govt takes action against 117 substandard feed companies

The sector plays a crucial role in meeting the country’s growing demand for protein and in producing sustainable and affordable fish and animal feed. However, some companies are producing substandard products in pursuit of higher profits. Recently, the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) identified 117 such establishments through enforcement drives and issued closure notices to them, said Md. Shahjaman Khan, Director General (Acting) of the Department of Livestock Services.

He disclosed this information at a seminar titled “Feed for Growth: Supporting Bangladesh’s Protein Demand,” jointly organized by the Feed Industries Association Bangladesh (FIAB) and the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) at a hotel in the capital on Saturday.

He stated that the sector survives because of marginal farmers. Currently, one of the primary demands of farmers is to keep feed prices affordable. In this regard, he sought the cooperation of feed-producing companies. He also mentioned that the Department of Livestock Services is working to ensure the quality of feed and to promote the production of safe, antibiotic-free protein.

Speaking as the chief guest, Md. Delwar Hossain, Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, said that a meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s Office today. There, the Prime Minister gave several important directives for the development of the poultry sector, emphasizing that it must be made export-oriented.

He further added that the Prime Minister directed the domestic production of necessary vaccines for the development of this sector and stressed the need to undertake required projects for this purpose.

He remarked, “The role of animal protein in building a healthy and merit-based nation is immense. However, the foundation of safe and quality protein production is quality feed. To control feed production costs and ensure the supply of protein within the purchasing power of common people, we must move away from traditional methods and focus on ‘Precision Nutrition’ and modern technology.”

Earlier, in the opening session of the seminar, Md. Anwarul Haq, General Secretary of FIAB, delivered the welcome address. He said, “In the face of changing global market scenarios and fluctuating raw material prices, our industry needs to become more technology-driven and efficient. This event aims to discuss precision formulation and the proper use of advanced raw materials.”

Habibur Rahman, Bangladesh Market Lead of USSEC; Lucas Manomaitis, East Asia Aquaculture Lead; Zhu Enhua (Joe); and Mr. Xiang Pin Lan Shan spoke on various aspects of soybean and technology at the event.

Ehtesham B. Shahjahan, Managing Director of Quality Feeds Limited, presided over the seminar. During the day-long event, technical papers on modern poultry and fish feed formulation, cost-effective production systems, and sustainable nutrition management were presented by Md. Shafiqur Rahman Shishir, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Animal Nutrition at Bangladesh Agricultural University; Aung Thwein A, Aquatic Animal Nutrition Consultant at Agro Solution; and Md. Jahidul Islam, CEO of Bangla-UK Agro Products Limited.