Mayor of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality Surendra Shrestha has urged people not to be misled by the scientific facts regarding the use of antibiotics and hormones in the poultry sector.

At a program organized by the Nepal Feed Industry Association in Madhyapur Thimi, Bhaktapur, Shrestha urged people not to be misled by the fact that chicken meat and eggs are an accessible, safe and reliable source of protein.

He said that such public awareness programs would be more effective if they were extended to the school level.

President of the Nepal Feed Industry Association Umesh Chandra Sapkota said that excessive carbohydrate and low protein consumption in Nepali society is becoming a cause of long-term health risks. According to him, only about 65 eggs and 20 kilograms of meat are consumed per capita in Nepal annually, which is very low compared to other countries in the world. He stressed the need to include the importance of protein in the curriculum from the school level.

Poultry expert Dr. Representatives of the feed industry and poultry sector, including Dinesh Gautam, presented their views. During the discussion, Keshav Raj Thapa, General Secretary of the Feed Industry Association, claimed that antibiotics have not been used in feed since 2016. He urged the concerned bodies to take strict action if any feed industry is found to be using antibiotics against government policy.

Director General of the Animal Services Department Dr. Umesh Dahal said that the 'Right to Protein' campaign has been taken forward with priority. Similarly, Director General of the Food Technology and Quality Control Department Dr. Matina Joshi Baidya urged special attention to the quality, storage and consumer awareness of protein sources as protein is necessary from pregnancy onwards.