On 1 April 2021, Dutch and Bangladeshi partners officially launched PoultryTechBangladesh, a public-private partnership of leading companies active in various parts of the poultry value chain. The partnership aims to strengthen business relations between stakeholders in the Dutch and Bangladeshi poultry value chain, resulting in increased trade, investment and cooperation, and to contribute to a more competitive and sustainable poultry sector in Bangladesh.

The Bangladeshi poultry sector: Turning challenges into opportunities
With 167 MN inhabitants and an average annual GDP growth rate of >8% during the past decade, Bangladesh has been one the fastest-growing economies in the world. Despite this rapid growth, the country has not yet realized its full potential to serve domestic markets effectively and remains vulnerable to price volatility. The Bangladeshi government has the ambition to address these challenges by increasing domestic sustainable food production, combating malnutrition and boosting agro-food exports.

Matthias Brienen, Director of Larive International and coordinator of the consortium: “A growing group of middle-class Bangladeshi consumers, largely living in urban areas such as Dhaka and Chittagong, is increasing consciousness about food quality and safety and are changing their preference towards more protein-rich and value-added products, which is increasing demand for poultry meat and eggs. PoultryTechBangladesh will support this development by introducing improved (more knowledge-intensive) production and processing systems and increasing the knowledge level of stakeholders in the poultry sector”.

In line with the increasing purchasing power and growth of its population, per capita consumption of poultry meat and eggs in Bangladesh is expected to increase 34% and 49% respectively in the five coming years. Consequently, enormous capacity expansion in domestic poultry production and slaughtering and (further) processing activities will be required.

The Netherlands is internationally renowned for the responsible production of poultry products, innovation and creating added value. Dutch policies and processes regarding food quality, product safety and hygiene are considered the highest international standards. Dutch poultry sector players could add significant value in developing a more competitive and responsible poultry sector in Bangladesh, while simultaneously turning current challenges into business opportunities for Dutch companies.

PoultryTechBangladesh
PoultryTechBangladesh has been developed and is coordinated by Larive International and LightCastle Partners and includes nine other companies and knowledge institutes being Aeres Training Centre International, Aftab Bahumukhi Farms, Hendrix Genetics, Kazi Farms, Marel Poultry, Mavitec, Nutreco, Royal Pas Reform and Van Aarsen. The initiative is co-funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The partnership is committed to working together in strengthening the Bangladeshi poultry sector. Collaborative efforts between the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh, and leading Dutch and Bangladeshi parties, the consortium aims to increase productivity, biosecurity, knowledge levels, and to share values about responsible business practices. Simultaneously, it seeks to trigger and support entrepreneurship and stimulate Dutch–Bangladeshi trade.

Core activities of the partnership include conducting studies, demonstrating best practices, and transferring know-how via providing training programs and implementation of capacity building activities. The partnership will establish a demonstration hatchery allowing to offer better quality Day-Old-Chicks, multiple model farms (breeders, broiler & layers) and a demonstration slaughterhouse and (further) processing facility.

H.E. Harry Verweij, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Bangladesh: “After 50 years, the Netherlands is shifting its policy in Bangladesh from primarily development cooperation towards economic cooperation. During this transition phase, we encourage Dutch companies to seek opportunities and help strengthen value chains in Bangladesh, in sectors where they have added value. I feel that public private partnerships are excellent modes of cooperation, and I am excited about PoultryTechBangladesh. I am confident that the involved parties will contribute to a more sustainable, inclusive and responsible poultry sector in Bangladesh. Building a competitive sector through good business relations now will pave the way for cooperation in the years to come”.

For any questions about PoultryTechBangladesh, please contact Iris Boom at [email protected]. In case of questions for the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh, please reach out to the economic affairs department via [email protected]. For the latest updates follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DutchEmbassyBangladesh.