Another face of price war Chicken distributed free of cost

    13-Nov-2022
|
By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 13:  Anguished by the sale of chicken at a very cheap rate by some traders, poultry farmers today staged a novel mode of protest by distributing chicken free of cost to passers-by.
The protest demonstration was staged at Mao Keithel, Kabow Leikai by poultry farmers associated with the Avian House, Khonghampat.
Avian House proprietor Chongtham Dhruvatara said that the poultry sector is one economic sector which gives employment to a considerable number of people in the State.
However, all the raw materials including chicks, feeds and medicines are imported from outside the State. Farmers have been rearing chicken to earn a little profit after spending all these expenditures, Dhruvatara said.
It is a matter of grave concern for all poultry farmers that some traders have started selling chicken at a much cheaper rate. It is a direct challenge to the livelihood of poultry farmers, he said.
About 3/4 months back, the price of chicken was quite high outside the State. As the price of chicken was cheaper in Manipur, some people/traders exported chicken from the State, he said.
Now the price of chicken has declined considerably outside the State. Following suit, some traders have started selling chicken at much cheaper prices in the State too but the sudden slashing of chicken price has severely affected the interests of all poultry farmers of the State, Dhruvatara said.
Leaving aside profit, now poultry farmers are facing a grim situation of losing even their capital, he said.
All those people who are selling chicken at much cheaper price are not farmers but traders and some ‘big players’ are among them, he continued.
The slashing of chicken prices would not affect the traders in any way but if the  poultry farmers give up their profession, the State would suffer immensely for a long time, he asserted.
Pointing out that one poultry chick costs Rs 50/60 while a 50 Kg bag of poultry feed is sold at Rs 3000, Dhruvatara urged the State Government to find out how these traders are selling dressed chicken at Rs 150-170 per Kg.
The price of chicken is higher in Assam and West Bengal than Manipur even though the first two States are known for cheap chicken, he said.
The situation is nothing but victimisation of poultry farmers in the battle of some arrogant traders, he asserted.
He said that they were distributing the dressed chicken free of cost with a thought of either taking a break from poultry farming or giving up the profession permanently.