IMPHAL, June 22: Poultry farms in the state are slowly dying due to the control by poultry farms from outside the state, said H Kulachandra, general secretary, All Manipur Poultry Farmers & Traders Association in a press conference today.
Speaking to media persons he said the condition of the local poultry farming is getting worse which has adversely affected the poultry farmers.
The price of the chicken in Manipur has increased like never before and is now sold at the rate of Rs 250 to 300 per kilogram even as its availability is not sufficient.
The main cause for this particular problem is due to the control of the poultry market by the outside farms, he said.
This situation is understood by all but the concerned government authority, Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry have failed to control the situation by taking prompt official action in this regard, he said.
He further said the local market is kept under the control of big poultry farms from outside the state whereas the local poultry farms are at risk thereby facing a lot of problems in their business.
It further mentioned that the livelihoods of the families of more than 50,000 who are doing poultry farms, are now decreasing their earnings severely.
Moreover, he said, the importing of poultry items from outside the state has a possibility of spreading bird flu as all the NE states had experienced the epidemic of bird flu in the recent past while bird flu is now becoming a deathly human disease.
Doctors fear bird flu strain which has killed 36 people in China has become resistant to antiviral drugs. In such an environment, the importation and transportation of poultry items free hand from outside Manipur would cause widespread bird flu that would claim human lives in Manipur. In addition to it, un-certified dressed chicken are also being transported to Manipur, he said.