Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) has demanded of the government to put a ban on the export of corn and zero percent duty should be implemented on the import of corn till May 2010. Corn is the major ingredient in the preparation of poultry feeds but there is an acute shortage of corn in the country. Corn is selling in the country at very high rates whereas the next corn crop would come in the market in June 2010.

About 250,000 metric tonne corn has been exported from the country due to which there is a shortage of corn in the country and not enough quantity of corn is available in the market as per our requirement. According to the sources of PPA, the cultivated area of corn had decreased by 14 percent during the season 2008-09 due to which the production had also fallen by 10 percent.

Moreover, government had also imposed 25 percent regulatory duty on the import of corn. About 82 percent of the country's total feed is prepared in Punjab whereas remaining 18 percent is prepared in Sindh. The price of 40 kg feeds bag was Rs 550 in October 2009 that has now reached to Rs 850 in January 2010.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2010