FAISALABAD: Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) Senior Vice President Dr. Sajjad Arshad said that 44 percent kids below the age of five years are infested with “stunted growth” and ‘we must launch a nationwide campaign to promote the use of eggs to ensure healthy mental and physical growth of our new generation’.
Addressing an “Egg Day” function in FCCI, he underlined the importance of protein in routine daily diet and said that every individual needed at least 30 grams of protein everyday which could be fulfilled by consuming just two eggs every day.
He said that realizing the importance of a healthy generation, Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) had been observing egg day to highlight its importance and give much needed awareness to the masses.
He said that during the first five years children must get an appropriate quantity of protein otherwise the discrepancies would continue to haunt them throughout their lives.
He appreciated the mothers who had provided “Paratha” with omelette to their children while going to school. He lamented that now mothers give just cash to their children who purchase chew gum and other unhealthy sweets and toffees.
Dr. Sajjad Arshad said that in Pakistan current egg consumption was 40-45 eggs per person per annum while in other countries it was around 300 eggs.
He negated a notion that eggs were harmful for cardiac patients and criticized the irresponsible social media promoting illogical propaganda against the use of eggs and chickens which were the main source of cheap and readily available protein.
He said that it was the third egg day function while two similar activities had been held at University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) and Shabbir Poultry Farm.
“The ultimate objectives of these functions are to dispel apprehensions of the masses and convince them to use eggs in their daily food”, he added.
Abdul Samad of the PPA in his brief address said that egg was a complete and balanced diet which was available without any adulteration.
He said that PPA was regularly observing egg day every year which was widely participated by the people from different segments of life.
Former President FCCI Rana Sikandar Azam said that Dr. Sajjad Arshad had served FCCI as Senior Vice President while now he had been notified as acting president.
He appreciated his efforts for the promotion of the poultry sector and proposed display of boards at poultry outlets highlighting the medical benefits of egg and chicken.
Dr. Muhammad Kashif Saleemi of UAF explained in detail the basic ingredients of eggs and said that it had good cholesterol along with many other vitamins and omega-3.
Responding to a question, he said that last year the egg production had declined due to the overall financial crisis but now poultry farmers were making serious efforts to increase its production.
He said that the department of poultry science in Toba Tek Singh campus was fully functional but its hatchery and farms had been outsourced.
Vice President FCCI Hajji Muhammad Aslam Bhalli offered a vote of thanks and said that he was now regularly consuming egg yolk on the recommendation of Dr. Sajjad Arshad.
Later a symbolic awareness walk was held in front of FCCI complex while boiled eggs were also distributed among the participants.