Written by The Banking Post
Despite building one of the country’s largest agro-based industries, Bangladesh has failed to secure a meaningful share of the global poultry export market, even as regional peers rapidly expand their overseas footprint.
While India and China continue to raise shipments to Middle Eastern and Western markets, and Thailand and Vietnam strengthen their dominance in processed and halal-certified poultry, Bangladesh’s export presence remains negligible. Industry insiders and analysts attribute the setback to weak policy and fiscal support, the absence of internationally recognised certification, and soaring production costs that erode price competitiveness.
Globally, Brazil dominates chicken meat exports with a 35–36 per cent share, followed by the United States at around 20 per cent. China accounts for nearly 3 per cent and India close to 1 per cent. Thailand leads processed poultry with a 26.3 per cent share, while Vietnam has emerged as a regional hub, exporting a record 9 million breeding chickens in late 2025.
Stakeholders warn that unless structural bottlenecks are urgently addressed, Bangladesh risks being permanently sidelined from a rapidly expanding market.
Dr A B M Khaleduzzaman, Director (Production) at the Department of Livestock Services, said the government is encouraging farmers to adopt good farming practices to prepare for export-oriented production. “Bangladesh’s poultry industry is strong enough to meet domestic demand. Now we need to scale up for the international market,” he said, adding that additional policy and fiscal incentives are essential to restore competitiveness.
He noted that rising production costs have made Bangladeshi poultry uncompetitive abroad, while countries like Thailand and Vietnam have secured halal certification and invested heavily in biosecurity and processing technologies to access high-value markets such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Thai poultry exports to the UAE surged fivefold in early 2025, driven by demand for halal-certified products. Vietnam, meanwhile, has expanded exports by upgrading disease control and processing standards, enabling it to bypass restrictions linked to avian influenza.
In contrast, Bangladesh continues to struggle with volatile raw material prices, domestic market instability, and the gradual withdrawal of export incentives ahead of its graduation from least developed country status.
“We are losing money on every bird we raise. If this trend continues, small-scale producers will be wiped out and replaced by monopolies, and our export ambitions will disappear,” said a representative of the Bangladesh Poultry Industries Coordination Committee (BPICC).
The BPICC estimates that the industry has attracted nearly Tk 400 billion in investment and could grow into a Tk 800 billion sector by 2050, if structural reforms and export support are ensured.
The recently approved National Poultry Development Policy 2026 aims to boost production, strengthen biosecurity, reduce import dependence, and facilitate exports. World’s Poultry Science Association-Bangladesh Branch President Moshiur Rahman said effective implementation could significantly improve export prospects. “Good farming practices, zoning, and compartmentalisation will enhance biosecurity and support halal certification, helping meet global standards,” he said, stressing the need for continued incentives.
Industry leaders also highlighted inadequate cold chain logistics, which cause an estimated $2.4 billion in annual agricultural losses and hinder compliance with strict hygiene standards in export markets.
Bangladesh has made limited progress by exporting poultry feed and related products, including a 50,000-tonne soyameal shipment to India in 2021. With annual production of about 23.37 billion eggs and 1.46 million tonnes of poultry meat, the sector is exploring regional export opportunities while seeking to upgrade processing standards.
To ease cost pressures, the government recently announced a 20 per cent electricity rebate for poultry farms and hatcheries, along with a Tk 1.0 billion subsidy package. However, stakeholders say a broader, sustained support framework is needed to help Bangladesh capture a foothold in the global poultry trade, which is projected to grow from $394.75 billion in 2025 to $417.18 billion in 2026.
