05.03.2013

Poultry producers of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan have gathered in the INTERNATIONAL POULTRY FORUM on February 26 — 28, 2013 in Minsk. Integration processes among three countries is establishing a unique economic area and the Eurasian Economic Community (EEC). Therefore poultry farmers are going to keep up with politicians and come to agreement at the beginning.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Belarus, Vasily Kazakhevich, giving a speech at the opening of the INTERNATIONAL POULTRY FORUM said that nowadays Belarus poultry industry includes in itself 25 poultry broiler and 20 egg farms. About 70% of poultry meat is produced by 8 large broiler farms and the same percentage of all table eggs – by 12 layer farms.

General director of «Belptitsesoyuz» - the Union of Poultry Producers - Nikholay Sherstnev expressed gratitude to his Russian colleagues for help in organizing the FORUM: «We are holding for the first time INTERNATIONAL POULTRY FORUM in Belarus. Poultry farmers always feel the need for business intercourse. Indeed it is always much easier to solve problems together than alone».

In 2012, Belarus produced about 467 thousand tons of poultry meat and production grew 19%. In 2013 it is planned to increase the production of poultry meat by 8 — 9%. Last year egg production in the Republic amounted to 2,7 billion pieces.

Intensive development of poultry industry in Belarus foresees the increase of poultry meat production in 2020 up to 750 thousand tonnes in live weight. By estimated data on January 1, 2013 the population of the Republic of Belarus was almost 9,5 mln people. Accordingly, the consumption of poultry meat is nowadays 34 kg per capita. Egg production keeps on growing and local poultry farmers have to export poultry meat and eggs!

An interesting solution of this problem was proposed by the head of «Halal» certification Center, Dinar Sadykov: «Halal» poultry meat and eggs are consumed by all nationalities and religions. Therefore, the demand for «Halal» products is increasing in both domestic and international market. CIS producers with «Halal» products have all possibilities to enter the markets of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. To do this, a poultry farm must be «Halal» certified and get an accreditation of an importing country. Thus, poultry farms of Russia and Ukraine have already started to take their place in Arab and African markets».

Chairman of the INTERNATIONAL POULTRY FORUM Sergey Shabaev told that «our countries have a common history and great potential on growth of agricultural production. Poultry industry of the Russian Empire in 1913 was «the third whale» of Russian export after grain crops and wood industry! And in conditions of intensively growing of poultry meat and eggs production we must not get in the way of each other within the Eurasian Economic Community (EEC). As our ancestors a century ago, we have to enter Asia, Africa and the Middle East with products of excellent quality».

General director of the «EUROASIAN POULTRY ASSOCIACION on export and import of poultry meat and eggs» Khan Kagerman stated that «in 2012, supply of Belarussian poultry meat to Russian market amounted to 104 thousand tons for $242 mln. Of it, 76 thousand tons were delivered refrigerated for $174 mln, and 15 thousand tons for $33 mln — frozen. Supply of poultry meat exceeded the agreed amount six-fold! Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan have to balance and not to exceed the amount of delivered, prescribed in the Customs Union agreement».

President of the Union of Poultry Producers of Kazakhstan Ruslan Sharipov said that 111 thousand tons of poultry meat were produced by Kazakh poultry farms in 2012. Farmers of Kazakhstan added 15 thousand tons of meat and billion of eggs to the food basket of the Republic. This year poultry meat production in Kazakhstan will reach 156 thousand tons, and in 3 — 4 years with construction of new poultry farms will be 230 — 250 thousand tons, which is enough to meet the demand of the market with domestically produced meat.

Egg production in Kazakhstan amounted to 3,6 billion eggs. In the coming years, growth will be inconsiderable, as the local market is saturated with eggs produced by neighbors — Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Therefore some egg producers change their profile into broilers.

Ruslan Sharipov noted that last year he adopted experience of Russian colleagues in organizing the INTERNATIONAL POULTRY FORUM, in which managers and specialists of poultry farms have a platform for discussion and exchange of opinions, as well as explore the latest global technology in poultry industry. He invited colleagues to attend the INTERNATIONAL POULTRY FORUM, which will be held on August 6 – 8, 2013 in Kazakhstan on the Lake of Burabaj near Astana.

Poultry farming is the most rapidly growing branch of agriculture. Unfortunately, nowadays academic institutions do not teach poultry sciences and one can acquire skills in bird management only when working in the industry. And then it is very important to get access to the knowledge, which is accumulated by generations, to learn from the experience of other poultry industry branches and poultry farmers of other countries.

An interesting report was given by Yaroslav Nemirovsky, area manager of “Hendrix Genetics” company, the world leading breeder of farm animals. It is of no surprise that the most efficient meat and egg producers of Russia, Kazakhstan and Byelorussia work with breeds of the company. For instance, up to ¾ of all table egg producers in the area use Hisex layers while largest turkey meat producers enjoy benefits of Converter. Today “Hendrix Genetics” also became one of the largest suppliers of day-old poults, layers and broilers in Europe, having more than 1 mln of Cobb-500 parents. And here all specialists are unanimous: perfect genetics is the key to the farmer`s profit.

For two days well-known analysts and specialists – poultry farmers had been taking floor on the forum. There were a lot of questions to speakers that is why the Forum had to be prolonged. At the evening of the INTERNATIONAL POULTRY FORUM famous Apple Tea Jazz Band was on stage by the invitation of Evgeniy Baskin — leading Belarusian producer of broilers.

At the FORUM the agreement of poultry farmers of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan was signed on cooperation in poultry industry with the aim to exchange experience, statistical and analytical data, advanced technologies in the field of genetics, feeding and treatment of birds, production and processing of poultry meat and eggs. THE INTERNATIONAL POULTRY FORUM was accepted as the form of meeting under the Agreement. Colleagues will invite and inform each other about the time and place of future meeting. Poultry farmers as the heads and experts of poultry farms have agreed to share their experiences.

Poultry farmers have agreed to create a single publicating body the «EURASIAN POULTRY». This magazine will have four issues a year and will publish analytical information in poultry industry and coverings of meetings in the CIS countries and worldwide will be placed on its pages. The electronic version of newsletter «EURASIAN POULTRY» will be distributed among the poultry farmers of CIS.

The first issue of «EURASIAN POULTRY» magazine will see the light at the International Exhibition VIV Russia «Chicken King» on May 21 – 23, 2013 in Moscow. The exhibition «Chicken King» invites all CIS poultry farmers to «THE PTITSEGRAD» stand where Discussion Club of poultry farmers has been holding for many years along with the INTERNATIONAL POULTRY FORUM, where world's best experts on poultry industry are taking the floor.

In conclusion, General director of the Union of Poultry Producers «Belptitsesoyuz» Nikholay Sherstnev said: «I consider that the FORUM is positive example of communication between colleagues and neighbors». He thanked for participating in the poultry farmers’ FORUM representatives of Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Israel and Germany. PTICEGRAD.RU

Vyacheslav Boroznov