Tamil Nadu badly hit as prices of chicken, eggs plummet
CHENNAI: Poultry farmers and exporters of Namakkal in Tamil Nadu, the poultry hub of India, are keeping their fingers crossed as the threat of bird flu spreads beyond the borders of West Bengal. Prices of chicken and eggs have plummeted as Doha and Qatar, two main importers of Namakkal eggs, have frozen orders.
Namakkal and surrounding areas produce 2.5 crore eggs a day, of which 50 lakh are exported to South Africa, Iran and the Gulf countries. More than 20 lakh people are dependent on poultry farming directly and indirectly in about five lakh layer farms in and around the district.
Adding to the panic, 17 country chickens died in Kuchipalayam and Vettapalayam villages in Nakakkal in the last couple of days. Namakkal district collector G Sunderamurthy said there was the birds died of Ranikhet, a common disease, and not bird flu.
Animal husbandry minister Geetha Jeevan ruled out the possibility of bird flu spreading from West Bengal to Tamil Nadu, adding that the state machinery was prepared to meet any eventuality.
Assurances, however, have not helped the farmers. Egg price has fallen from Rs1.85 last month to Rs1.20, while the price of chicken has come down from Rs35 to Rs15 per kg.
“After the outbreak last year in Manipur, Dubai had frozen import of poultry products from India. While the ban continues, the situation will turn worse if Doha and Qatar stop poultry imports from the country. Lakhs of farmers have taken bank loans,” said TN poultry farmers’ association president R Nallathambi.
arunram@dnaindia.net
