LAHORE (March 11 2004): Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) Punjab is to hold a 'National Poultry Congress' in the provincial capital on April 9-10.

A spokesman of PPA Punjab told Business Recorder here on Wednesday that a large number of poultry experts and poultry farmers would be attending this two-day event.

He claimed that PPA, which is Pakistan's national poultry forum, represents poultry farmers in small villages, towns and cities and now has become a strong platform of poultry sector across the country.

He said that Pakistan is a developing country with a population of 144 million and an agro-based economy.

Its population growth rate is highest in the world and it is facing progressive depletion of high protein food resources.

"Its agricultural sector constitutes 45 percent of our national economic activity and 66 percent of our population is dependent of agro-related pursuit for its livelihood," he maintained. Therefore, under these circumstances need for urgent development of high protein food resources is acutely felt throughout the country.

The PPA spokesman further said that poultry farming on commercial basis in Pakistan began in early 1960s which now has turned into a vibrant and popular industry. "To give an impetus to the growth of the poultry industry in the country, we felt the need to give it international exposure and decided to hold this national poultry congress & exhibition 2004 Lahore," he said.

Meanwhile, a high-level meeting of PPA Punjab held here under the chairmanship of Abdul Basit, Chairman PPA Punjab, the other day decided to nominate Dr Hassan Sarosh Akram as the Chief Organiser of the Congress.

The names of other members are Dr Muhammad Aslam (Convener Reception Sub Committee), Raza Mehmood Khursand (Convener Registration Sub Committee), Dr Shahid Mehmood Dar (Convener Exhibition Sub Committee), Dr Mustafa Kamal (Convener Seminar Sub Committee), Khalid Saleem Malik (Internal Auditor of NPC-2004), Dr Abdul Ghafoor Chaudhry (Co-ordinator for NPC-2004), Rai Mansab Ali Kharal (Convener Security Hall Management), Dr Khalid Mehmood Shouq (Convener Media Sub Committee ).

A meeting of the organising committee of the National Poultry Congress 2004 will be held on Thursday at 11.30 am at Library Hall of Poultry Research Institute (PRI) Rawalpindi to review arrangements of the congress.

Courtesy Daily Business Recorder