Empowering MSMEs with News & Insights

Kerala poultry farmers demand roll back of floor prices of chicken

Updated: Sep 04, 2013 05:02:35pm
image
Thiruvananthapuram, Sept 4 (KNN) To protest against the increased floor prices of chicken, the All-Kerala Poultry Federation comprised of poultry farmers and wholesale dealers has been on strike during the past five days.
 
Retailers in the state however have stayed away from the strike as many of them have stocked chicken.
 
Worst affected by the indefinite strike are the southern state’s small scale poultry farmers who have told reporters that they would boycott the strike as it has been aimed solely at protecting the vested interests of large broiler chicken enterprises and lobbies of other states.
 
Small scale poultry farmers feel that the government should roll back the increased floor prices for chicken while keeping the advance tax as it would help curb the flow of chicken from other states and thereby increase the market of poultry farmers in the state.  However, the advance tax for chicken from other states should be removed.
 
According to media reports, the Kerala Commercial Taxes Department had decided to increase the base price of chicken from the existing Rs 70 to Rs 95 with effect from Thursday.  The base price of chicks will also go up to Rs 35 from Rs 24.
 
Significantly, the advance tax collected for bringing chicken and chicks from other states is 14.5 per cent of the base price.  As a result, the chicken dealers in the state will have to pay additional Rs 10 per kg to the suppliers.
 
The lion’s share of the state's requirements is met by the supply from Tamil Nadu as the poultry production from the state is just 90,000 tonnes each year against a requirement of nearly 2.4 lakh tonnes.

The strike began on August 28 in protest against the government’s decision to raise the tax on chicken.  

The State has about 60,000 poultry farmers, according to reports. Cancellation of the circular of the Sales Tax Commissioner increasing the basic price of chicken, increasing the level of tax exemption for poultry farmers, withdrawing tax for chicks, simplification of farm licensing procedures and stringent action against officials who harass farmers are among the committee’s demands.  (KNN/ES)
 

COMMENTS

    Be first to give your comments.

LEAVE A REPLY

Required fields are marked *