Like in the past, Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) celebrated this year’s World Egg Day on Friday, 9th October, 2020 by organizing seminars at different places to make the general public aware of the nutritional value of eggs and its importance for human health.
Vice Chairman PPA (NR) Raja Attique-ur-Rehman Abbasi while addressing the press conference said, that the World Egg Day is celebrated every year on the second Friday in October. On World Egg Day, events are held across the world celebrating the importance of egg in human diet. Chairman Pakistan Poultry Association PPA North Region said that the first World Egg Day was celebrated in 1996 and since then we have seen a variety of wonderful events taking place internationally, with people enjoying and celebrating the wonderful versatility of the egg.” Eggs have a vital role to play in feeding people around the world, in both developed and developing countries. The eggs have excellent and affordable source of high quality protein, with the potential to feed the world, he said.
Raja Attique informed that poultry sector is one of the most organized branches of the agro-based sector of Pakistan. Poultry Sector has been serving the nation since 1962 and providing affordable poultry products to the masses to fulfill the requirements of animal protein. Poultry at present contributes 40% of the total meat consumption and generates employment and income for about fifteen hundred thousand people. It is also pertinent to mention here that poultry is the cheapest available protein source for our masses and as such, is an effective check upon the spiraling animal protein prices.
Raja Attique-ur-Rehman Abbasi said that we are producing more than 17,500 Million table eggs per annum. In our Country per capita consumption is 88 eggs annually. Whereas the world average is around 200 eggs and the developed world consume 300 eggs per capita per annum.
Recent nutrition survey results from World Bank revealed that Pakistan is included in countries where severe stunting (44%) in young Children is found and is at alarming level.
Poultry as industry is committed to bridge this protein and nutrition gap by providing Chicken Meat and eggs at very affordable rates. To give lunch at schools is one option to save the future of new generation. This investment today will pay back in days to come.