Marginal poultry farmers in Pabna are facing mounting losses as prolonged power cuts during intense heat kill chickens through heatstroke and sharply reduce egg production. Farmers say outages now last six to 10 hours a day and are particularly severe in areas served by rural electricity networks. The disruption has affected ventilation, temperature control, lighting, feed and water supply at layer and broiler farms, forcing some owners to sell birds early at low prices or close operations.

The sector expanded rapidly in Pabna after 2000, but farmers say rising prices of chicks, feed, medicine and vaccines have already eroded profitability. More than 7,000 marginal farmers have reportedly left the business, while the district now has 3,043 registered and unregistered farms, down from about 10,000 five years ago. Feed priced at Tk2,400 per sack now sells for Tk3,400, while some vaccine and medicine imports have stopped after the dollar’s value rose.

The Pabna Poultry Farm Association says generator use adds Tk800 to Tk1,000 daily. Officials say gas shortages have reduced power generation nationwide, while livestock authorities are advising saline and betaine use and pursuing proposed electricity, feed and medicine subsidies.