25/08/2022, 21:42 Poultry in Bangladesh | One Health Poultry Hub

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Poultry in
Bangladesh
Poultry production in Bangladesh
has until recently been part of
subsistence farming. It now
features complex systems and is
set to become highly
commercialised in the future.

It is estimated that today 1 million

entrepreneurs and 8 million people
commercially produce 10.22 billion eggs
and 1.46 million tons of poultry meat
annually.  Latest figures show 16
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grandparent farms and 206 breeder farms,

with up to 70,000 commercial farms.
These are mainly small-scale, typically
having 500-2,500 birds.

Poultry trader. Image: FAO ECTAD, Bangladesh

Commercial poultry farms are growing at

a rate of 15% a year, with investment in the
sector expected to double in the next
decade. The poultry sector is gearing up
for exporting by 2024.

However, backyard poultry still accounts

for 65-70%, of the country’s poultry
population. These are generally raised by
women and poultry keeping is recognised
as a major pathway for poverty reduction,
particularly for poor, landless women.

Avian influenza
Public and poultry health risks are very
high in Bangladesh’s small-scale farming.
There is close contact between poultry
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and people and few or no biosecurity

measures.

Multiple  serotypes of avian influenza A

virus, including highly pathogenic avian
influenza A virus subtype H5N1, have
emerged and already become endemic.
Their potential to mutate and genetically
recombine with human influenza virus
strains raises concern about future
pandemics.

Live bird markets

Live bird market. Image: Guillaume Fournié

Almost all poultry and poultry products

transit through live bird markets. These
are a feature of most food markets in
Bangladesh, with bigger clusters of them
in city areas. Most poultry products are
sold unprocessed.

As poultry production is expected to

expand, a drastic increase in the volume of
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live birds being traded and marketed is

also expected. Poor hygienic practices at
live bird markets and weak regulation add
to the risk of disease for people and
poultry.

To date, eight H5N1 and three H9N2

infected human cases (with one fatality)
have been reported to the World Health
Organisation (WHO). All the cases had a
recent history of  poultry exposure, with
four being live bird market workers.

Porous borders between Bangladesh and

neighbouring counties also present a big
challenge to prevent the introduction of
transboundary avian diseases by illegal
trading.

Heavy and indiscriminate use of

antibiotics is yet another challenge. There
is almost no structurally robust
monitoring  for antibiotic use and
antibiotic resistance, and only weak rules
and regulation on antibiotic uses.

Poultry production
Bangladesh has one of the highest
proportions of impoverished livestock
keepers in the world. Keeping a small
poultry flock (five to 10 birds) is a common

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practice. About 90%of rural Bangladeshi

households keep poultry.

Poultry are often the only livestock raised

by the poorest communities. The
proportion of backyard poultry production
that is traded is highest in poor, rural
communities, providing households with
an essential source of income as well as a
protein source.

Village poultry are also commonly used as

gifts to neighbours and relatives, or during
social events, as well as for cock fighting.

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Taking stock in Hub researchers Balancing risk

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changing times present at 16th for better

ISVEE livelihoods

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