Bangladeshi entrepreneurs are taking preparations to start exporting chicken-based food products from 2020, operators said yesterday.

“We have started our preparations to export processed poultry products. We have immense opportunities to cater for the global halal market,” said Shamsul Arefin Khaled, president of the World's Poultry Science Association-Bangladesh Branch (WPSA-BB), at the closing ceremony of the 10th International Poultry Show & Seminar in Dhaka.

The global halal market is estimated at $2.3 trillion with 67 percent of the market, or $1.4 trillion, consisting of food and beverages, according to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Operators said nearly Tk 30,000 crore has been invested in the poultry industry so far, with an increasing number of poultry giants entering the market to sell poultry-based food items.

Currently, more than half a dozen firms, including some poultry giants, sell chicken-based ready-to-cook food products in the domestic market.

Khaled said operators would be able to export products worth $4-5 million a year initially, according to a press release.

“But we have to cut our production cost to enter the competitive market and government's support is needed,” he said.

He urged the government to withdraw 5 percent advance income tax on import of different essential raw materials used in poultry feed manufacturing.

Khaled also demanded withdrawal of 10 percent customs duty on soybean import as well as a waiver of VAT and tax on medicine and vaccine import in the upcoming budget.

Besides, poultry industry operators called upon the government to ease the process of import of vaccines. They also stressed ensuring bio-security.

Moshiur Rahman, convener of the poultry show, said global warming is also affecting the poultry industry. “We have to work on this,” he said.

The exposition began on March 2 to promote the use of scientific knowledge and modern technology in poultry farming. The event received a positive response from poultry farmers and entrepreneurs.

“We saw some new technologies in the show, which will be very effective and helpful for the Bangladeshi poultry industry,” said Md Shirajul Haque, general secretary of the WPSA-BB.

With nearly 150,000 farms in Bangladesh, the expansion of the poultry industry has created millions of jobs. The sector is now the supplier of protein at low cost, thanks to the efforts of the entrepreneurs and the government's support, including tax benefits.