The Hindu Business Line : Farm-loan waiver: Pawar’s assurance to poultry farmers

Pune, March 23 The poultry industry has a reason to cheer as the Union Minister of Agriculture, Mr Sharad Pawar, has assured a delegation of poultry farmers that he would look into their problems and explore the possibility of extending the benefit of farm-loan waiver to small and marginal poultry farmers and provide an interest subvention of eight per cent on bank loans.

He has also assured the delegation that the government would consider the possibility of banning forward trading in maize.

The National Egg Co-ordination Committee (NECC) noted that though bird flu was reported only in backyard farms, accounting for two per cent of the industry, and the organised sector is free from bird flu, repeated announcements of the disease in backyard farms and the consequent ban on movement of eggs had forced farmers to divert the eggs and hatching eggs to other markets at distress prices.

This had led to surplus and fall in the farm-gate price of eggs and broilers across the country, resulting in a loss of around Rs 3,000 crore to farmers.

Forward trade

Forward trading in maize and export of soya meal have also pushed up the price of maize in the domestic market from Rs 500-525 per quintal last year to Rs 900-1,000. Similarly, the price of soya meal also increased from Rs 9,000 per tonne last year to Rs 17,000.

As a result, the break-even level for egg production has gone up from Rs 0.90-1.00 to Rs 1.90-2.00 and the break-even level of broiler production has increased from Rs 27-28 per kg to Rs 37-38.

Poultry farmers have suffered a loss of not less than Rs 15,000 crore during the past one year. The delegation noted that the economic viability and livelihood of 3.2 million people dependent on poultry was at stake, and added that unless remedied soon, 30 to 35 per cent of the industry — particularly the small and marginal farmers — might be forced to close down, and eventually, the consumers will have to pay an unreasonably high price for eggs and chicken.

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