May 25, 2009
Bangladesh to regulate domestic feed industry
Bangladesh will bring the domestic feed industry under a regulatory framework to keep track of feed safety and quality, according to officials.
The regulation will ban the use of antibiotics, growth hormones and pesticides in poultry, fish and dairy feeds.
Feed producers have been self-regulated all along, and this regulatory framework will ensure the production of feeds that are free of any substances risky for human health, a senior official of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock said.
The move comes as the feed sector thrives on a gradual growth of commercial farming of poultry, fish and dairy.
Under the proposed law, no one can produce, process, export, import and market feed without a license either from the Department of Fisheries or the Department of Livestock.
The draft law also suggests testing of
feedsat quality control laboratories to check nutritional standards, and that a consumer is empowered to examine the nutritional aspects of feeds at related authorities.
Feed marketers will also need to obtain certificates before importing or marketing any feed. For imports, certification on radiation from the proper authority of exporting countries is necessary, and the packaging and labelling must include the nutritional value of feed ingredients, production and expiry dates etc.
In case of adulteration, the government will be able to confiscate the products or machineries of the companies involved.
While lauding the move, feed millers feared misuse of the new law may hurt the industry.
The draft law will be submitted to the cabinet soon and will reach the parliament in the next two months.