October 7: The prices of poultry feed have increased due to the increase in the prices of raw materials used for making poultry feed in the international market. Poultry feed producers import raw materials mainly from India and America.

Due to the decline in production of soybeans in those countries, the prices have gone up significantly.

Currently, the price of poultry feed has increased by Rs 2 per kg. According to the Nepal Grain Industries Association, the price of B-0 poultry feed has been increased from Rs 64 per kg to Rs 66 and the price of B-1 has been increased from Rs 63 to Rs 65 per kg. Similarly, the price of B-2 and B-3 grains has also been increased by Rs 2 per kg to Rs 64 and Rs 63 respectively.

The price of soybean’s de-oiled cake has gone up by Rs 55 per kg from Rs 70 to Rs 125 in just a year, said Rabin Puri, president of the association. Similarly, the soybeans costing Rs 80 has gone up to Rs 115 per kg.

Along with soy de-oiled cake, the price of maize, another major raw material used for making poultry feed, has also gone up. The price of maize which was Rs 20 to Rs 25 per kg previously has reached Rs 35 per kg now, as per the association.

Chairman Puri explained that the Indian traders imported soybeans from the United States and sold them to Nepali traders. This has resulted in high prices of poultry feed. The Indian farmers resorted to this option after the decline in soybean production in India itself.

“Considering the current production cost, the price should have been increased by up to Rs 8 per kg,” said Puri, “But increasing the prices all at once may discourage the farmers, which is why; the prices have been increased by Rs 2.”

Chinese entrepreneurs have increased the consumption of soybeans excessively. This is another reason for the skyrocketing prices of raw material for poultry feed.

Soybean and maize used for poultry feed production in Nepal are imported from the USA, Brazil, India and other countries. Among the raw materials used for making grains, 99 percent of soybeans and 70 percent of maize have to be imported into the country.