Andhra Pradesh

Sales plummet on bird flu scare

— Photo G. N. Rao

Scene at a poultry farm in Khammam.

KHAMMAM: The poultry sales started plummeting thanks to the bird flu scare that gripped the district.

Farmers have cut the sale price of the poultry birds substantially following reports of the out break elsewhere in West Bengal and other states. Though they are far from the infected zone, none of them is willing to take chances and hence there is a sudden crash in the whole sale prices.

According to reports, the skinless chicken which was costing Rs. 86 a kg fortnight ago, is sold at Rs. 60 in the town today. The broiler chicken and eggs had not many takers. The cost of the egg had also come down from Rs. 2.25 to Rs. 1.45. Many of the farmers as well as the poultry suppliers are bound for the tribal shandies. They are reaching out with their supplies even the neighbouring Bastar region in Chhattisgarh.

The poorly informed tribes are now the big consumers of the poultry products. As the price was cut down by Rs. 20 per kg, some 1,200 poultry birds were sold only at the week-end tribal shandy in Chintoor. Trucks carrying poultry supply have been reaching the area in a big way even from the neighbouring East Godavari and Visakhapatnam. In the temple town of Bhadrachalam the poultry sales fell by 40 per cent.

The desi birds which are available in plenty in the shandies however still enjoyed the same demand. There were some 150 poultry farmers in and around Khammam town and number of birds available with them would be little over 1.5 lakh. The local hotels take the bulk supplies from them.

The poultry sales would usually slow down from November onwards as the Sabarimala bound Ayyappas strictly avoid non-vegetarian food.

Ravi Babu Rao, one of the leading suppliers in the town said that there was absolutely no threat of bird flu in the district. The retail sales were affected by the fears that were unfounded.

The price of chicken fell marginally. There could have been a speedy recovery if the Animal Husbandry Department could extend any little support to dispel the fears of the consumers.

Despite the outbreak of bird flu in West Bengal leading to culling of lakhs of birds, there were hardly any supportive measures initiated by the department - not even an advisory on dos and don’ts at this juncture, he said.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu