Poultry businessmen have demanded cancellation of the government's decision to import eggs and chicks from India, according to New Nation of Bangladesh.

The leaders of the Bangladesh Poultry Industries Association (BPIA) holding a press conference on 10 January at Barisal Press Club said that by issuing permission to import one day-old chicks and eggs from India, the country's growing poultry industry might be affected seriously.

Present at the press conference were: Aminur Raman, Barisal divisional branch secretary of the association in his written statement and Khondokar Md. Mohsin, central secretary, M.S. Doha, Barisal divisional branch president, M.A. Awal, Rashahi divisional branch president, S.M. Sohrab Hossain, Khulna divisional branch president, Md. Foyez Raza Chowdhury, Sylhet divisional branch president, Md Foyez Ahmed, Chittagong divisional branch president, Md. Masum Khan, SM Anisuzaman Panna, Md. Salahuddin, Dhaka divisional branch joint secretaries and other leaders of the association.

They said that it was unfortunate that withdrawal of the restrictions on imports of both eggs and day-old chicks clashed with the efforts by the domestic poultry farmers to recover the losses they incurred due to the effects of bird flu.

Expressing the apprehension, the leaders of the poultry industry said that such imports might also heighten the risks of avian influenza or bird flu in view of an outbreak of the disease in India in recent months.

"The government should rather consider providing subsidy to farmers instead of allowing imports that may harm our growing industry," they demanded.

Answering the allegation of small poultry farmers about an increase in the price of day-old chicks and poultry feeds by big poultry farms and poultry feed producers taking advantage of the limited supply, the leaders of the association said that the price of day-old chicks would come down significantly in March. At that time, production is expected to reach its peak following recovery from bird flu and poultry feed producing industries could supply feed at lower cost if incentive and capital assistances would be provided for them by the government, reports New Nation.