Andhra Pradesh - Ongole   

Poultry ryots seek help

Special Correspondent

ONGOLE: The Andhra Pradesh Poultry Federation has asked the Central Government to refrain from creating fear psychosis among people about bird flu and the save poultry industry and those depending on it from getting ruined.

The federation pointed out that bird flu has not affected a single human being in the country till now as revealed by blood tests held at Navapur and Jalgaon. But the sustained campaign launched by the Central Government against the disease terrorised people who preferred to stay away from chicken and eggs wreaking havoc with the poultry industry.

Preventive measures

The federation felt that the Government could take preventive measures, if any, to prevent the spread of the disease without involving media to avoid unnecessary scare.

It expressed concern over the plummeting of price of eggs and chicken. As the prices fell to uneconomic levels, farmers are finding it difficult to feed their birds and maintain their farms. The federation asked the State Government to intervene in the market and purchase eggs at Rs. 1.25 and chicken at Rs. 30 per live kg to save farmers from losses.

Ryots on tenterhooks

The federation also decided to distribute boiled eggs free of cost among people to express their protest against falling prices. It urged the Government to provide eggs in the mid-day meal programme more effectively to push up consumption.

Federation executive committee member P. Sankara Rao said the fate of 174 poultry farmers who maintained two lakh broilers and three lakh layers in Prakasam district hanged in the balance due to the market crisis.

He urged the Government to announce suitable financial relief to poultry farmers and release maize stocks readily available with Markfed for feed.

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Poultry ryots seek help

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