'Prices have doubled and this has put us into deep trouble. Our future is now bleak,' said a young farm owner.

The Hatchery Owners' Associa-tion here recently refixed the price of each day-old chick at Tk 35-36 on a plea of rise in production cost. About 2 months ago the same was sold at Tk 18-19.

Some aggrieved young poultry farmers told this correspondent that they sold each kg of broiler chicken aged between 35 and 45 days at Tk 55-65 about two months ago.

At that time they used to buy each day-old chick at Tk 18-19 whereas the hatchery owners now charge double the price for that. "It would now require a big investment for it which is beyond our capacity. A handful of rich people is going to capture the business soon, a farm owner said.

Dishari Hatchery owner Anwar Hossain told this correspondent that previously parent fowls were being imported from Malaysia, Thailand and India. But the government prohibited their import from those countries following outbreak of 'bird flue'. Because of this we now import parents from the European countries which pushed up their cost.

Price of poultry feed has also increased remarkably, they said. A 50-kg bag of feed worth Tk 750 is now being sold at Tk 830. In addition, diseases cause losses and the government does not supply vaccines. So, owners have to buy it at higher prices from different companies, said the hatchery owners.