Cabinet allows import of maize for animal feed 

The Cabinet Ministers at its meeting on Thursday approved the Food Processing Board to import 25,000 tons of maize or any other suitable grain required to manufacture animal feed subject to the recommendation by the Department of Animal Production and Health. 

“The move will help to ease the chicken and egg prices in the market,” Cabinet Co-Spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardena said at the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.

Given the acute shortage of animal feed in the country, the poultry manufacturers hiked prices and a kilo of chicken was seen sold at Rs. 2,600 last week. 

The price of eggs also increased to record high levels. An egg was priced between Rs. 70-75, and the Government later imposed a controlled price of Rs. 49 per egg. 

The annual requirement of maize required for animal feed is around 600,000 tons, whilst a dire scarcity prevails for maize within the market. 

Although permits have been issued to import 225,000 tons of maize before 31 December via food manufacturing companies and animal food raw material marketers, the Government pointed out that only 38,000 tons have been imported during the first half of 2022 due to lack of foreign exchange, a statement comprising weekly Cabinet Decisions by the Government Information Department noted.

The maize price in the local market has also escalated up to Rs. 220 per kilo. 

“It has been observed of an impending crisis in the animal husbandry sector in future, as many stakeholders engaged in poultry farming tend to sell eggs without breeding and also leaving the animal farming sector due to multiple challenges,” the statement added.