Pune, February 3
A Delegation of poultry farmers who met Union Agriculture Minister recently demanded the creation of separate zones and compartments of poultry production within the country to ensure that exports from unaffected zones continue even if there is an incidence of bird flu in some part of the country. Urging the minister to lend support to overcome the crisis caused by bird flu in West Bengal, the delegation demanded a moratorium of outstanding loans and interest for atleast two years, interest subvention of at least seven percent for two years, allotment of five lakh tons of maize at subsidised price and conversion of outstanding working capital loans into long term loan, a statement issued by the National Egg Coordination Committee said.
According to the statement, even before the outbreak of bird flu, the industry has been reeling under severe crisis due to a 100 per cent rise in the price of essential feed ingredients like maize and soya.
The ban on the movement of eggs and broiler hatching eggs into West Bengal and on passage of these products through West Bengal to the northeastern states has resulted in a severe crisis in the industry.
