By: Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar: Days after the government fixed rates of poultry products, Poultry Farmers Union Kashmir (PFUK) on Thursday said that the decision of fixation of rates of poultry was decided at Rs 110 per kg when cost of preparing one kg chicken is over Rs 130.
Tariq Elahi, a senior member of the association, said that the government is issuing notifications without any apparent validation tenure which often puts farmers in risk of huge losses.
Tariq said that the rates are very low as cost in making a chick of one kg is around Rs 130 while the government has fixed rates lower than the production.
PFUK has also written to Director Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs in this regard and has requested him to look into the matters of farmers and save the livelihood of lakhs of people.
“We the Poultry Farmers Union Kashmir (PFUK) a lately formed poultry organisation explicitly by poultry farmers (sans dealers) of Kashmir valley, want to bring your kind attention towards your latest notification of RETAIL poultry broiler prices in Kashmir valley. Our very humble request to your good self is, please do consider all the vital input costs from the farmers.” reads the letter written by PFUK
“We will be very pleased to give our honest and impartial inputs. Dear sir, to add to your resourcefulness, we would like to inform you through this application that broiler chick prices (Day Old Chicks) and feed prices change every 4th day and 7th day respectively,” it said.
“As a matter of fact, issuing a notification through your worthy office without any apparent validation tenure often puts farmers in oudreme risk of financial losses A retail price of Rs. 110kg means Re, 80/kg of farm Gate price, the price that the farmer actually gets with hell lots of terms and conditions like money is paid after 15-30 days farmer is responsible for all the mortality during transportation, weight loss from farm to market and many more. Therefore it is our humble request that while issuing retail prices. Please consider the inclusion of Shed/Farm Lifting Price of poultry broilers to make things a little more clear. The kind inclusion of the latter can prevent exploitation of our hundreds of poor poultry farmers which include a great deal of highly educated unemployed youth,” the letter reads.
“We must inform your good sed trust a large number of our farmers are debt trapped heavily to the banks, dealers, and others due to the repeated losses particularly since 2008 Amamath Agitation 2012 RKD, 2014 FLOODS, 2016 Burhan Wani Agitation, followed by lockdown due to scrapping of Art. 370 further worsened by latest Corona Virus pandemics as such giving up or switching over to other business is seldom an option,” it said.
“Dear Sir, your due consideration in the future notifications can save us from big losses and grave exploitation. Therefore, we are very hopeful that your esteemed self can take a few moments of your precious time in considering our humble inputs before issuing any notification in the future. We are always at your back and call sir and we look forward to your kind consideration,” the letter reads. (KNO)
