Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=32895
Hygiene fears reshaping meat market
Sohel Parvez
BRAC and Aftab, two of Bangladesh's leading poultry farmers, have started large scale marketing of processed chicken, in a move that could change the landscape of the country's meat industry.
The decision comes in the wake of increased concerns by customers over food hygiene following numerous reports on food adulteration and the outbreak of bird flu.
At present the chicken meat market is dominated by live bird retailers who slaughter the animals in their market stores, often in unhygienic conditions.
Industry insiders said the yearly market for processed chicken is still very small in comparison with the overall live chicken market. However, the market for processed chicken has the potential to grow about 15 percent a year, they added.
?We are processing and marketing chicken considering people's increasing interests to get hygienic product. It will also be a good support for working couples and families, who do not have time to slaughter and dress the birds themselves,? said Md A Saleque head of BRAC's Agro and Salt Industries.
BRAC now sells processed chicken of one of its subsidiaries BRAC Broiler Marketing, which has already made room for itself in five star hotels, international fast food shops and supermarket such as Agora and Nandon.
Aftab Processed Chicken, a subsidiary of Aftab Poultry, has also entered in fast food restaurants, super markets and hotels and is expecting to export its chicken products.
Together the two firms are now supplying between 6.0-8.0 tons of processed chicken a day and said they will expand their networks.
The attempt to supply packed chicken is also attributed to the recent outbreak of bird flu.
The disease not only led to the closure of thousands of poultry farms but also pushed down the poultry consumption especially broiler chicken amid deterioration of consumer confidence.
?We are processing the meat in hygiene manner to win over consumer confidence,? said the official of BRAC, which is processing 4.5-5.0 metric tonnes of broiler chicken a day.
Shah Habibul Haque, director of Aftab Poultry, which is marketing dressed chicken, said, ?Out ultimate goal is to export. We hope to start exporting after total elimination of bird flu disease from Bangladesh.?
The official said, the market demand is still in favor of live chicken, the market segment controlling about 90 percent of the total demand.
?However, the market for dressed chicken will expand,? he said, adding,?People ultimately will not accept the dressed chicken done in a crude manner in the open market. Hence, a section of consumers will shift to packed chicken.?
He said the company has plans to expand its network to other divisional cities such as Chittagong and Sylhet.
Sohel@thedailystar.net
Hygiene fears reshaping meat market
Sohel Parvez
BRAC and Aftab, two of Bangladesh's leading poultry farmers, have started large scale marketing of processed chicken, in a move that could change the landscape of the country's meat industry.
The decision comes in the wake of increased concerns by customers over food hygiene following numerous reports on food adulteration and the outbreak of bird flu.
At present the chicken meat market is dominated by live bird retailers who slaughter the animals in their market stores, often in unhygienic conditions.
Industry insiders said the yearly market for processed chicken is still very small in comparison with the overall live chicken market. However, the market for processed chicken has the potential to grow about 15 percent a year, they added.
?We are processing and marketing chicken considering people's increasing interests to get hygienic product. It will also be a good support for working couples and families, who do not have time to slaughter and dress the birds themselves,? said Md A Saleque head of BRAC's Agro and Salt Industries.
BRAC now sells processed chicken of one of its subsidiaries BRAC Broiler Marketing, which has already made room for itself in five star hotels, international fast food shops and supermarket such as Agora and Nandon.
Aftab Processed Chicken, a subsidiary of Aftab Poultry, has also entered in fast food restaurants, super markets and hotels and is expecting to export its chicken products.
Together the two firms are now supplying between 6.0-8.0 tons of processed chicken a day and said they will expand their networks.
The attempt to supply packed chicken is also attributed to the recent outbreak of bird flu.
The disease not only led to the closure of thousands of poultry farms but also pushed down the poultry consumption especially broiler chicken amid deterioration of consumer confidence.
?We are processing the meat in hygiene manner to win over consumer confidence,? said the official of BRAC, which is processing 4.5-5.0 metric tonnes of broiler chicken a day.
Shah Habibul Haque, director of Aftab Poultry, which is marketing dressed chicken, said, ?Out ultimate goal is to export. We hope to start exporting after total elimination of bird flu disease from Bangladesh.?
The official said, the market demand is still in favor of live chicken, the market segment controlling about 90 percent of the total demand.
?However, the market for dressed chicken will expand,? he said, adding,?People ultimately will not accept the dressed chicken done in a crude manner in the open market. Hence, a section of consumers will shift to packed chicken.?
He said the company has plans to expand its network to other divisional cities such as Chittagong and Sylhet.
Sohel@thedailystar.net