RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) has urged government of Pakistan to take concrete steps in promoting and uplifting Poultry sector as it contributes 40% of the total meat consumption and generates employment and provides source of income to more than 1.5 million people of Pakistan directly & indirectly.
These remarks were made by RCCI President Saboor Malik while addressing a seminar in connection with World Egg day at Chamber House Rawalpindi.
He said the poultry industry was playing a crucial role in ensuring food security in the country and emphasized that use of poultry products should be further promoted in order to end the problem of stunted growth in growing children.
To promote poultry sector being vital segment of Livestock the Government must reduce taxes in import of revision of import duties, additional import taxes, and sales tax on poultry feed ingredients, plant and machinery etc.
Sales Tax on import of poultry machinery including, poultry incubators, brooders, grain storage silos for poultry and poultry sheds should be dropped to zero, he added.
Saboor Malik, while referring to recent nutrition survey results from World Bank said that Pakistan is included in countries where severe stunting (44%) in young children is found and is at alarming level and increased consumption of eggs can help overcome this issue.
RCCI President also informed the participants that Pakistan’s poultry industry is producing more than 17,500 million table eggs per annum against per capita consumption of 88 eggs annually. The developed countries consume 300 eggs per capita per annum.
More awareness and information must be spread among the masses with respect to nutritional value of eggs and its importance for human health, he added.
Speakers including Dr. Muhammad Aslam, Chairman PPA, Dr. Muhammad Sadiq, CEO Sadiq Group in their address said eggs have a vital role to play in feeding people around the world, in both developed and developing countries. The eggs have excellent and affordable source of high quality protein, with the potential to feed the world. A large number of members, representatives from PPA, Academia and civil society attended the session.
