KARACHI: The Pakistan Poultry Association demanded that the government should give Rs28.39 billion as a compensation for the losses incurred by the farmers because of the government’s irrational policies.
Talking to the media, PPA Chairman Ahmad Waseem, added that the national average cost of production of broilers was Rs 156.07/kg while the last six months national average selling price was Rs 129.35/kg. Thus, it incurred a loss of Rs 26.72/kg, he added.
He said, “The breeding companies lost Rs 3.86 billion on the account of the day old chick’s average national cost of production being Rs 40.82 and the last two months’ average selling price being Rs 21.49/chick. The government is totally unmindful of the impact of their taxation policies. The levy of sales tax and import duty on soybean meal, one of the highest component of poultry feed, has resulted into an increase in feed cost.”
In line with horticulture plant and machinery, which is meant for improving efficiency, preventing the hazardous effects of climatic changes, by the use of tunnel farming, greenhouses, etc. all poultry plant, equipment and machinery may be transferred to Sixth Schedule to provide exemption from the sales tax, he demanded. ‘Before the last budget, plant and machinery for the purpose of poultry production was exempted from sales tax. In the budget of 2014-15, poultry production plant and machinery were made subject to 20% sales tax, though on paper it appears to be 5%.
