Poultry sector in Rajshahi-Rangpur now has an egg surplus

• Huge export potential exists

Mohsin Raju, from Bogura

Poultry farming has become a major hub in the 16 districts of the northern Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions, long known as the country’s agricultural heartland. Thousands of small and large farms have grown across Bogura, Pabna, Sirajganj, Joypurhat, Rajshahi, Natore, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj in Rajshahi division, and Rangpur, Dinajpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Panchagarh and Thakurgaon in Rangpur division. This sector supplies eggs and chicken meat, and also drives a much larger economy tied to chick production, feed, medicine, transport, and wholesale and retail trade.

Observers say that if the government, guided by Prime Minister Mr. Tarique Rahman’s thinking, quickly resolves the problems facing this sector, it could create jobs for hundreds of thousands of people, meet protein demand and open up real export potential.

According to field level data from the Department of Livestock Services, Rajshahi division has 14,532 registered private poultry farms and Rangpur division has 5,101, for a combined total of 19,633 registered farms across the two divisions. This includes layer, broiler and duck farms. Thousands more unregistered farms are also believed to exist.

The northwest region plays a major role in egg production. Department of Livestock Services data shows Rajshahi division produced 4.5077 billion eggs in the 2021-22 fiscal year, while Rangpur division produced 2.4338 billion in the same period, for a combined total of about 6.9415 billion eggs. That figure has grown further since.

Based on the 2022 census population count, Rajshahi division has about 20.794 million people and Rangpur division about 18.02 million, for a combined population of roughly 38.8 million across the two divisions.

Using the Department of Livestock Services’ standard estimate of 104 eggs per person per year, the total annual demand across the 16 districts comes to roughly 4.04 billion eggs. Against production of about 6.94 billion eggs, this leaves a surplus of around 2.9 billion eggs.

Poultry plays a significant role in supplying animal source protein in Bangladesh. One study found that poultry accounts for about 37 percent of all animal source protein in the country. This contribution from the poultry sector is expected to keep growing in the coming years.

The poultry sector employs far more than just farm workers. It also involves chick producers, feed traders, medicine sellers, transport workers, egg collectors, wholesalers and retailers. The Bangladesh Poultry Association claimed in 2026 that the sector provides employment for 5 to 6 million people nationwide.

However, no single government database has published an exact employment figure specifically for the 16 districts of Rajshahi and Rangpur. Without a precise count, this report simply notes that several hundred thousand people in this region depend indirectly on the poultry sector for their livelihood. A more accurate figure could be worked out in the future using data from district livestock offices, the poultry association and those involved in market management.

Feed remains the biggest cost for poultry farmers. A Bangladesh Bank study found that the average raw material cost per kilogram of broiler grower feed was 50.66 taka, with total cost, including processing and distribution, reaching 61.77 taka.

Farmers have long complained about the prices of feed, maize, soybean meal, chicks and medicine. In March 2026, farmers in Rajshahi reported that maize prices reached 32 taka and soybean prices climbed to 62 to 70 taka per kilogram, pushing up production costs. Around the same time, farmers also complained that eggs were selling for less than their production cost.

Beyond feed costs, medicine prices, disease outbreaks, excessive or incorrect use of antimicrobials, and farm biosecurity remain major challenges. Research on farms in the Rajshahi region has pointed to the need for stronger guidelines and monitoring of antimicrobial use in poultry.

The biggest opportunity for the Rajshahi-Rangpur poultry sector may lie in exporting halal chicken meat, processed meat and safe eggs. Although Bangladesh has access to international halal markets, certification, testing laboratories, international recognition and institutional weaknesses remain major obstacles. A 2026 report quoted businesspeople citing the lack of an internationally recognized halal certification system as a major problem.

With markets in neighboring India’s West Bengal and northeastern states, the Middle East and other Muslim majority countries in view, there is an opportunity to build an export oriented production system in the northern poultry industry. Entrepreneurs and farmers in the sector stress that this will require developing internationally standard slaughtering and processing facilities.