Non-vegetarian is essential for the health of the body. Beef is the largest source of meat. Many other foods don't have the amount of nutrients that beef has. Beef increases immunity in the body. Contributes to the formation of muscles, teeth, and bones and maintains the health of skin, hair, and nails. Contributes to the growth and intelligence of the body and helps to heal wounds. Besides, it keeps good eyesight. Excess relieves fatigue and keeps you active. Helps prevent diarrhea, prevents anemia.
At present, we see various reports about the increase in the price of beef in all the media of the country. However, this problem is not new, the price of beef has been constantly increasing in Bangladesh for the past decade. If we look at beef prices for the last 5 years, we can see that. Last few years ago, the 2019 beef price was Tk 450 per kg but in 2020 it became Tk 550 per kg, and sequentially in 2021 Tk 600 per kg, in 2022 Tk 650 per kg, and lastly in the 2023 fiscal year Tk 750-800 per kg. In 2009, beef was available at 220 to 250 taka per kg, in 2023, the price of beef has exceeded 750-800 taka. That is, the price has increased 4 times in the last 14 years. The average price of beef in India is 350 rupees per kg and in Pakistan it is 300 rupees per kg. Which is half the price of beef in Bangladesh.
Apart from India and Pakistan, many countries in the world have to depend entirely on imports for beef. The price of beef in all those countries is limited to Tk 400-600 per kg. But where Bangladesh is self-sufficient in animal protein production, the price of beef per kg is Tk 750-800 per kg. So, why the price of beef in Bangladesh is high? We will highlight that in today's report. Let's review the report.
Bangladesh has become self-sufficient in livestock production in the past few years. Currently, Bangladesh has a demand of 76 lakh metric tons of non-vegetable meat or meat, but Bangladesh is producing more than 87 lakh metric tons of meat every year. Most of which meat is beef. According to DLS data, meat production in the country was 87.10 lakh tonnes in the fiscal year 2022-23. Then the demand was 76.08 lakh tons. That is, the surplus was 11 lakh tonnes. From the financial year 2017-18 to the financial year 2022-23, the demand for sacrifice in Bangladesh is being met by the cattle produced in the country. In the financial year 2022-23, where there was a demand of 1 crore cattle for sacrifice, 1 crore 25 lakh cattle have been reared in the whole of Bangladesh. That is, more cows or cattle are being produced in the country than the current demand.
Despite being self-sufficient in cattle production, Bangladesh imported 13,200 metric tons of frozen beef and buffalo meat in the fiscal year 2021-22. The market value of which was Tk 577 crore. Beef prices are out of balance due to higher cattle production compared to demand in Bangladesh and despite imports.
In 2021, the price of beef increased and the market price per kg stood at Tk 600. But in 2022, the price of that meat increased by Tk 650-700 per kg. Again, in 2023, the price of beef suddenly exceeded 900 TK.
Although it has been possible to bring the price below Tk 900 with various government assistance and the observation of the consumer department, at present the consumer has to pay Tk 750 to Tk 800 per kg of beef. Which is difficult and luxury for us common people.
The international average market price of beef is 550 taka or 5 dollars. The average market price of beef in the neighboring country India is 250-350 rupees per kg i.e. 330-462 Tk. in Bengali taka. On the other hand, the average market price of beef in Pakistan is 800 rupees per kg, which is about 300 Tk. in Bangladeshi taka. The price of beef in Bangladesh is 3 times higher than in Pakistan and India. In economically distressed Sri Lanka the price of beef per kg is 2000 rupees which is about 700 taka in Bangladeshi taka.
Here is one thing to know Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates do not produce beef at all. We have to rely on imports from Pakistan, India, Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil, where the price of beef per kg is 20 riyals or 20 dirhams i.e. 600 taka in Bangladeshi taka. Not only that, they import the beef found in Middle Eastern countries from many famous brands. Those who follow proper certification from cattle rearing to meat production and export meat. Most of the beef in Bangladesh is sold in the open market and cattle rearing does not have the complexities of certified rearing. However, ordinary people have to pay Tk 750 to Tk 800 to buy beef from the open market of Bangladesh. Which is impossible for the lower class.
A report published in BBC News stated that "the market price of meat is much higher than the cost of production".
” Description - CPD recently said in their report that the price of meat in Bangladesh is higher than the international market. The organization said that in February 2022, a family of four in Dhaka spent 18 thousand 115 taka per month on food. Excluding fish and meat, the cost was 5 thousand 688 taka. In February 2023, a family of four in Dhaka spent 22 thousand 664 taka per month on food and if fish and meat are excluded, that cost is now 7 thousand 131 taka. That means food cost per family has increased. CPD executive director Dr. Fahmida Khatun told reporters while publishing the report, "If compared with international market prices, it can be seen that the prices in Bangladesh are always higher." "Expenditures are often not production-oriented. There is a point of reining in that kind of spending. The market can't work as it should and there are a lot of inconsistencies in the market," he said.
Golam Rahman, Chairman of the Consumer Association of Bangladesh Cab, says that the way the price of meat is increasing in the market is not acceptable in any way. He told the BBC, "The price of meat in the market is unusual. The market price is much higher than the actual cost of production. According to the information of the Bangladesh Poultry Association, the price of a 50 kg bag of ready feed has increased by more than 1300 since last year. "A year ago, the price of ready feed was Tk 2400, after the March 9 price hike, it was Tk 3740. How much production is being spent, whether the feed is safe - this needs to be looked at." "A kg of beef does not cost more than Tk 450 in Bangladesh. But sometimes you have to buy and eat for 800 taka. sad The production cost of broiler chicken is 190 rupees but it has to be sold for 150 rupees, it is also sad. ” – said Bangladesh Poultry Association President Suman Howladar.
Also, according to BBC News, the current number of cattle farms in Bangladesh is 4.2 million. Milk production is 130.74 lakh metric tons and demand for sacrificial animals in Bangladesh is 97 lakh. According to the sources of the Department of Livestock, this year (2023) a total of 01 crore 41 thousand 812 cattle have been sacrificed on Eid-ul-Azha across the country.
According to a report by The Daily Star Bangla, the price list of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) shows that despite the surplus, buyers in Dhaka have to pay 10 percent more for broiler chicken and 15.04 percent more for beef than the previous year. DLS officials, poultry breeders, and cattle farmers supported DLS surplus production data but attributed the rise in meat prices to an increase in fodder prices and other factors. Analysts say that according to the rules of economics, when supply exceeds demand, prices fall. Again, if the demand is greater than the supply, the price rises. Dhaka University Economics Department Professor Salim Raihan told The Daily Star, 'It is normal for prices to fall if there is excess supply in the market. Either the demand is underestimated, or the supply is overestimated.' He also said that the demand has changed due to the lifestyle change. It appears that the demand for chicken meat has increased due to the availability of several types of chicken recipes. Bangladesh Agricultural University Poultry Science Department head Bapan Dey disagreed with DLS data on production and demand. He said, 'I am not sure about the authenticity of the DLS information. There is a big gap between this information and reality. This information causes a lot of confusion.' Sajeda Akhter, dean of the Faculty of Animal Husbandry of Bangladesh Agricultural University, told Daily Star, 'The accounts of government agencies are different. So there is a difference between production and demand data.' According to him, higher or lower prices do not depend only on production and demand. Bangladesh Restaurant Owners Association (BROA) Secretary General Imran Hasan also agreed on this. He said, 'If the production of meat was more than the demand, it would have affected the market. The price could have been lower than it is now. But this is not the final reality.' Buyers had to pay up to Tk 780 to buy 1 kg of beef yesterday. 2 years ago this price was Rs 600 per kg. With the high price of beef and mutton, hoteliers earlier this week urged the government to ease the import of meat to increase the supply and sale of animal protein in the market. General Secretary of Bangladesh Dairy Farmers Association Mohammad Shah Emran told Daily Star, 'The cost of animal feed, transport and electricity has increased.' Therefore, he thinks that even though the country is self-sufficient in meat production, the price is increasing. He said, 'The price of almost all feed has increased by 50 percent in the last 1 year. Electricity prices have increased by 10 percent. The cost of transportation has doubled. He claims that if the cost of production decreases in a competitive market, the price will automatically decrease.
Also, we have found in our research that foreign high-yielding cattle breeds are behind the increase in the price of beef in Bangladesh. Which is not able to breed properly in the climate of Bangladesh. Also, the rearing of this breed of cows is very expensive, and medical expenses are also high. In developed countries, as well as human food production, food for cattle is produced separately, but even today, many foods in Bangladesh are dependent on imports from abroad. Whereas the demand for cattle food is high, the price is constantly increasing and the cost of transportation is also doubled.
If everything is calculated, it can be seen that almost all the businesses of Bangladesh are covered by the syndicate. Where traders don't have to wear any barriers. And the common people have to pay a huge price.
