In view of rapid growth and over Rs 30 billion of investment in the poultry sector, the government has introduced the policy to improve food security and nutrition level by encouraging competitiveness and environment-friendly poultry business in the country.[break]
The policy, which has been recently approved by the Cabinet, envisages to triple the existing per capita consumption and availability of chicken (1.82 kg) and (25 eggs) by encouraging commercialization of poultry in areas where necessary infrastructures are already in place. Average per capita consumption of poultry meat and egg stands at 9 kg and 120 pieces in the Asia region.
In an effort to bring down the cost of production and enhance competitiveness for greater access of Nepali poultry products to local and international markets, the policy has put the agriculture sector in the list of highly prioritized sector, suggesting a host of incentives to entrepreneurs including interest subsidy, exemption on customs duty and tax on imports and purchase of poultry equipment, delivery vehicles and their parts.
"The long-awaited Poultry Policy has envisaged strategies including prioritizing poultry sector for government support programs so as to encourage massive commercialization of this emerging sector that has already seen an investment of over Rs 30 billion,” said Dr Til Chandra Bhattarai, an expert on poultry industry.
Simplification of registration and operation, research and development of new breeds of chicken, promotion of local breed in areas where infrastructure is still not in place and encouraging insurance against natural calamity are also stipulated in the policy.
The policy has also envisaged luring private investment to produce parent stock of poultry within the country, regulate the poultry sector to bring the quality of poultry to the international level and announce disease-free zone by applying bio-security in poultry farms.
"In the light of huge imports of poultry equipment and raw materials, the policy has laid emphasis on increasing investment to boost production of such poultry related products by creating favorable environment within the country," Bhattarai further said.
Launching of special programs in coordination with Department of Agriculture to promote production of major raw materials used in poultry feeds such as maize, soybean and sunflower is also among the programs proposed in the policy.
The policy also provides for establishment of poultry market information system, upgrading the laboratories to conduct research, surveillance, control and eradication of poultry disease and scientific management, transportation and distribution of poultry products are also incorporated in the policy.
In a bid to ensure supply of quality poultry products to consumers, the policy has also envisioned the grading, labeling and standardization of poultry meat and eggs. The government would extend financial and technical support to establish market centers and Export Processing Zone (EPZ) for market promotion of poultry products.
Similarly, the policy has also underlined the need to encourage the private sector to set up slaughter houses and meat processing industry. The policy also provides for establishment of Directive Committee to develop the poultry sector on Public Private Partnership (PPP) and cooperative models.
"Provision of Directive Committee to suggest necessary measures to the government for promotion of poultry sector is a crucial step in the policy," said Bhattarai.
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