COVID-19 effect on Poultry Farming in the selected area of Chattogram, Bangladesh

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic had gravely affected innumerable economic sectors across the world, including livestock production in which poultry sector was affected greatly by this pandemic. This study investigated how the pandemic had affected the poultry production and distribution network (PDN), analyzed economic circumstances of the farmer before pandemic and after pandemic in the Rangunia Upazilla, Chittagong. Twenty five poultry farms from Rangunia Upazilla were selected to find out what extent the farm was affected by the COVID-19 crisis besides some retail sellers also included for getting data about price fluctuation in chicken meat and eggs. Per bird average annual gross cost for rearing of broiler and layer were 895.5 BDT and 1557.5 BDT, respectively before pandemic and average annual gross cost/bird for rearing of broiler and layer are 985.5 BDT and1652.5 BDT, respectively throughout pandemic which turns into annual cost/bird for rearing of broiler and layer were 913.5 BDT and 1633.5 BDT, respectively immediate after COVID pandemic. The study showed that the poultry sector was damaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, partly as a result of the lockdown and also by rumors that poultry and their products could transmit the disease. Huge disaster occurred in poultry production due to disrupted production and transportation, falling down consumer demand and volatile markets also brought huge financial struggling, even leading to the permanent closure of many farms.