Beef export to start in 2 years

[EastBengalPro]

Bangladesh will start exporting beef within two years as the nation is likely to become self-sufficient in meat production by that time. Newly appointed fisheries and livestock minister Narayan Chandra Chanda told this to The Independent yesterday.

He rejected a proposal given by some businessmen to import beef from India. “Now the nation is producing 71 lakh tonnes of meat against an annual demand of 68–70 lakh tonnes. We're now meeting the demand through local production. So, we've already informed the commerce ministry in a letter about the rejection of the businessmen’s proposal to import beef from India,” the minister said in reply to a query.

Local farmers would be seriously affected if beef is to be imported from India. The acceptance of the businessmen’s proposal would be a suicidal decision, he added.

The meat price has dropped by about Tk. 100 per kg. Beef is now selling for Tk. 400–450 per kg in the kitchen markets.

“We'll be able to export red meat within two years if the present production trend can be maintained,” the minister said.

The department concerned was trying to improve the quality of beef with a view to export it, Chanda noted.

Earlier, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) president Md Shafiul Islam (Mohiuddin) had suggested that the government should import beef from India to meet the country's protein demand, which, he said, remained unfulfilled because of the high price of red meat in local markets.

According to the Department of Livestock services (DLS), the country now has about 23,935,000 heads of cattle.

“A total of 522,289 registered farmers are involved in cow-fattening activities in the country. Besides, some 58,463 registered farmers are involved in rearing cow for milk production, 3,921 for rearing goats and 3,632 for rearing sheep in the country,” Mazharul Alam Akanda, director (production) of DLS, told this correspondent.

A total of 92.83 lakh tonnes of milk against an annual demand 1.48 crore tonnes was now being produced in the country, he added.

Akanda also said that a total of 1,493.31 crore eggs were now being produced against a demand 1694.16 crore eggs annually.

“Many unregistered farmers are also rearing cattle in the country. So, it's tough to count the exact figure of cattle. We only keep the record of the number of cattle reared by the registered farmers,” Md Khaled, assistant director (farming) of DLS, told this correspondent.

The government had taken various steps to increase meat production, he said.

“We're now working on the Brahma variety on a pilot basis. The meat production is good in this variety,” he added.

http://www.theindependentbd.com/post/131043

 

[EastBengalPro]

But b4 that I want to purchase 1 kg under 300 TK

 

[idune]

But b4 that I want to purchase 1 kg under 300 TK

before that cattle farm need to be established in every village --- then ban indian import during Eid - then 300 taka kg and then there should be export.

looks like awami hindu minister telling fairy tale like awami rice story.

 

[EastBengalPro]

before that cattle farm need to be established in every village --- then ban indian import during Eid - then 300 taka kg and then there should be export.

looks like awami hindu minister telling fairy tale like awami rice story.

Indeed!!

Eid ul Adha in 2015 and 2016 was good and we met the demand with local cattles. 2017 saw some import through Rajshahi border.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

He rejected a proposal given by some businessmen to import beef from India. “Now the nation is producing 71 lakh tonnes of meat against an annual demand of 68–70 lakh tonnes. We're now meeting the demand through local production. So, we've already informed the commerce ministry in a letter about the rejection of the businessmen’s proposal to import beef from India,” the minister said in reply to a query.

Local farmers would be seriously affected if beef is to be imported from India. The acceptance of the businessmen’s proposal would be a suicidal decision, he added.

Very good decision.

 

[BDforever]

Bangladesh will start exporting beef within two years as the nation is likely to become self-sufficient in meat production by that time. Newly appointed fisheries and livestock minister Narayan Chandra Chanda told this to The Independent yesterday.

He rejected a proposal given by some businessmen to import beef from India. “Now the nation is producing 71 lakh tonnes of meat against an annual demand of 68–70 lakh tonnes. We're now meeting the demand through local production. So, we've already informed the commerce ministry in a letter about the rejection of the businessmen’s proposal to import beef from India,” the minister said in reply to a query.

Local farmers would be seriously affected if beef is to be imported from India. The acceptance of the businessmen’s proposal would be a suicidal decision, he added.

The meat price has dropped by about Tk. 100 per kg. Beef is now selling for Tk. 400–450 per kg in the kitchen markets.

“We'll be able to export red meat within two years if the present production trend can be maintained,” the minister said.

The department concerned was trying to improve the quality of beef with a view to export it, Chanda noted.

Earlier, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) president Md Shafiul Islam (Mohiuddin) had suggested that the government should import beef from India to meet the country's protein demand, which, he said, remained unfulfilled because of the high price of red meat in local markets.

According to the Department of Livestock services (DLS), the country now has about 23,935,000 heads of cattle.

“A total of 522,289 registered farmers are involved in cow-fattening activities in the country. Besides, some 58,463 registered farmers are involved in rearing cow for milk production, 3,921 for rearing goats and 3,632 for rearing sheep in the country,” Mazharul Alam Akanda, director (production) of DLS, told this correspondent.

A total of 92.83 lakh tonnes of milk against an annual demand 1.48 crore tonnes was now being produced in the country, he added.

Akanda also said that a total of 1,493.31 crore eggs were now being produced against a demand 1694.16 crore eggs annually.

“Many unregistered farmers are also rearing cattle in the country. So, it's tough to count the exact figure of cattle. We only keep the record of the number of cattle reared by the registered farmers,” Md Khaled, assistant director (farming) of DLS, told this correspondent.

The government had taken various steps to increase meat production, he said.

“We're now working on the Brahma variety on a pilot basis. The meat production is good in this variety,” he added.

http://www.theindependentbd.com/post/131043

we will first export to Indian Muslims

 

[mb444]

Cattle production requires a lot of land for graizing and what not. I don’t see it’s feasibility within the BD scenario as an export driven product.

Factory farming cattle is very cruel and is probably the only way drive up overall productivity.

 

[TopCat]

Cattle production requires a lot of land for graizing and what not. I don’t see it’s feasibility within the BD scenario as an export driven product.

Factory farming cattle is very cruel and is probably the only way drive up overall productivity.

Modern farming does not require any grazing

 

[James-bond]

India is number 1 in Beef export

Even though we only export CARA -BEEF aka Buffalo meat but as a Hindu it is against our principals.Hope we ban all kinds of killing of milch animals in future.

Hope bd's know the difference b/w cows and buffaloes.

 

[Doctor Strange]

If you go to old Dhaka and old N.Ganj, there isnt many places for beef and with Hindu mess members others are deprived from beef, we saw Hindu goons vandalising DU canteen over beef and Hindutva masterminds killings/bannings over beef/cow in India. Im sure with Hindu beef minister, BD will be beef exporter soon while depriving Bangladeshis from beef.

 

[Bilal9]

Modern farming does not require any grazing

Exactly. But real profit lies elsewhere.

What would be better if some enterprising individual starts luxury cattle raising and culture locally (such as Japanese KOBE beef for Sushi purpose) and starts exporting. Maybe Japanese-Bangladeshi entrepreneurs with their Japanese partners can start something. KOBE cattle are massaged with oil (toyl mordon) every day. These expensive cuts of beef are supplied to high-class restaurants through established beef and meat wholesale houses in Japan and US/Europe.

So look at the price for WAGYU (highest grade KOBE) beef cuts at Costco, which is the cheapest source four years ago (price is even higher now I'm sure),

Ribeye at $110 (Tk. 9125) per pound

Strip steak at $167 (Tk. 13,850) per pound

Two other varieties (Grass-fed Organic, USDA Prime) have their rigid requirements but are very, very profitable as well. These are ideal products for Bangladesh where labor cost is unbelievably low and where we could compete with other Asian countries very well (feed is cheap to get because as a humid country we have lots of foraging options from green growth).

Animal husbandry is a well-established industry in Bangladesh, even formally. We export high quality beef to countries like Australia and Hong Kong regularly for the last decade.

 

[mb444]

Modern farming does not require any grazing

I am aware of this. But they are not particularly humane dude. That is what I am saying.

I would rather BD concentrated on the knowledge economy and manufacturing.

BD has a huge population and I would rather there be balanced growth across economic sectors. I am not saying we should not concentrate on cattle production but would suggest this be done for internal consumption first rather than be for export sector in my opinion.

 

[Bilal9]

October 21, 2017 6:30 pm JST
Bangladesh cattle herds surge as India curbs smuggling
Apparel makers seize on higher beef prices to set up farms

A.Z.M. ANAS, Contributing writer

Cattle producer Sadeeq Agro won attention when it sold a bull it had imported from Texas for around $20,000 during the Eid al-Adha festival in September. (Photo by A.Z.M. Anas)

DHAKA -- Moves by the Modi government in India to crack down on the country's previously strong beef industry in the name of protecting cows, holy to Hindus, have given new life to the sector in neighboring Bangladesh.

Until recently, the porous border between the two countries was the backdrop to a thriving illegal cattle trade. But India has clamped down on cattle smuggling over the last year, and the number of cows traded across the border has fallen to around 2 million from 3.5 million annually, according to Robiul Alam, secretary general of the trade group Bangladesh Meat Merchants' Association.

This has helped push up beef prices in predominantly Muslim Bangladesh by 18% over the past year, with demand for meat growing with rising incomes. Per capita income topped $1,600 in the fiscal year ended June, doubling from the level five years before. Growing wealth and an expanding economy, which grew 7.2% in the year ended June 30, has created demand for meat. With this enticement, conglomerates previously focused on garment production such as ABA Group and other companies have been pouring substantial money into the livestock sector.

"What is significant is that cattle farmers have got fair prices in the last three years," said A.B.M. Khaleduzzaman, a senior official in the Bangladesh Department of Livestock Services. "This indicates local entrepreneurs are motivated."

Cattle at Sadeeq Agro’s farm near Dhaka (Photo by A.Z.M. Anas)

India's anti-smuggling campaign "has definitely become a blessing for us," said Shah Emran, general-secretary of the Bangladesh Dairy Farmers' Association. "It has created demand for domestic cattle."

Government data show that the number of cattle farms in Bangladesh has swelled to 522,000 from just over 33,000 in 2011. The industry now accounts for nearly a quarter of overall employment.

ABA Group is plowing a further $123 million into a cattle farm at Louhajang, 50km south of Dhaka, where it already has a cattle-fattening facility. It will bring in 2,000 cows from the Netherlands and could invest as much as $200 million in the sector.

"People want to eat quality meat," said Gias Ahamad, chief executive officer of Winning Agro, a Dhaka-based consultancy advising ABA. Winning Agro also owns a one-tenth stake in the project. Ahamad said ABA is seeking foreign investors too. The cattle farm will stretch over 900 acres and will feature technology for tracking cows from birth to slaughter.

Likewise, Eon Group, which already has interests in poultry and animal health, is expanding into cattle. Eon said it would pump $12 million into a farm in the northern Rangpur region, procuring 500 cows from Australia.

Akij Group, one of the largest conglomerates in the country, is also flirting with the idea of investing $6 million in cows. The company, which has interests in tobacco, food, textiles, ceramics, cement, jute and agro-processing, plans to procure animals from Brazil or Australia and is looking for a suitable site.

Winning Agro's Ahamad estimated that up to $500 million could be invested in cattle farming in the next five years.

Small players up game

But it isn't just the big companies that are entering the fray. Officials say medium-sized farms are springing up in northwestern Sirajganj and Pabna districts, where farmers fatten cows up for Muslim festivals when demand for sacrificial animals pick up.

"The demand for meat is increasing," said Ataur Rahman who owns Ishwardi Cattle in Pabna. He plans to expand his ranch, from 20 cows to 100, if he can secure bank loans.

Meat processors are also moving into cattle farming. One case in point is Bengal Meat. It now has 300 cows as well as contracts with 500 farmers for more supply.

The leather industry is also benefiting from the upsurge in local herds. Leather is Bangladesh's second-largest export earner after textiles and clothing, bringing in $1.34 billion in the last fiscal year, up 6% from the year before.

Even lenders are getting a boost. "The Indian campaign has created an opportunity for us," said Abdul Matin, chief executive of Sojag, a nonprofit microlender based in Savar, near Dhaka. The microlender has provided $7.4 million in livestock loans so far this year. Matin said the figure could reach $8.6 million next year. Sojag also provides training and cattle insurance to the farmers.

With the industry growing rapidly, some are concerned about signs of new beef supplies coming in from India. The Bangladesh Dairy Farmers' Association said in July that a government plan to import frozen beef would be dire for cattle merchants, butchers and small farmers.

Animal trade groups lobbied the authorities to keep out Indian cattle during the recent Eid-al-Adha festival, known as the feast of the sacrifice and celebrated on Sept. 2. Around 4.5 million cattle were sacrificed, or half the figure Bangladeshis slaughter annually. For years, India had supplied a quarter of this demand.

"Our cattle farmers would be decimated unless Border Guard Bangladesh stemmed smuggling," said Alam at the Bangladesh Meat Merchants' Association.

Bengal meat processing plant above and their fast food burger joint at Shimanto Square in Dhanmandi.

 

[idune]

Bangladesh has huge number of char and islands ideal for organic cow and goat farming. That will not only make Bangladesh self sufficient but also net exporter. That will not come to awami looters head, they are busy looting banks and thinking which char they will use for next bangoboltu airport.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

Cattle production requires a lot of land for graizing and what not. I don’t see it’s feasibility within the BD scenario as an export driven product.

Most of the cattle will be raised by using imported animal feeds. A lot of countries do that.A substantial portion can be raised through our domestic feed production.Maize cultivation in Bangladesh is increasing rapidly.Last year 3 million ton.With imported soybean and maize and our own maize, we don't need to worry about what to feed the cattle.