LAHORE: Food Security and Research Minister Malik Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan on Thursday said the government would take up the poultry industry’s problems on priority basis and help the industry exploit its true business potential.

He said the government was aware of duties, taxes and other issues that the poultry industry was facing and would follow them up in the light of the association’s recommendations.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Pak­istan Poultry Association’s (PPA) International Poultry Expo 2016 at Expo Centre, Mr Bosan said the government was trying to provide a level-playing field for all industries and create a win-win situation for stakeholders.

PPA Chairman Khalil Sattar said the poultry industry was faced with heavy losses because of rising input costs due to higher import duty and sales tax.

“The annual average of day old chicks was Rs24 against the cost of production of Rs31.50 in 2012, which has since gone up higher. The greatest loss has been suffered by the poultry seed producing sector.”

He said there were adverse effects on poultry farming sector on account of various taxes, which were restricting the growth due to increase in cost of production.

The chairman added on the side of the machinery, agriculture greenhouses were subject to zero per cent import duty and sales tax, whereas poultry implements, equipment and machinery were subject to 3pc import duty and 17pc sales tax.

He called for bringing import duty and sales tax on all inputs of poultry farming at par with agriculture.

Published in Dawn, September 23rd, 2016