August 30, 2012

Indian committee to investigate on growth promoters in poultry feed

A committee has been constituted by the Jammu and Kashmir government to inquire into the indiscriminate use of growth promoters in commercial poultry in the Kashmir valley, where one lakh birds are consumed daily.

An official spokesman said here that additives in the shape of growth promoters are being used in the feed of poultry birds resulting in ill effects on the health of human beings. The government has set up a committee to inquire into these reports. The committee, comprising Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Director Animal Husbandry, Director Sheep Husbandry and Professor of Faculty of Medicines Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Parvaiz Koul, has been constituted.

The committee shall submit its report about the additives being used in the poultry feed in the valley within a fortnight, he said. About one lakh poultry birds are being consumed in the Kashmir valley daily.

Besides, creating awareness among the consumers, growers wholesalers and retailers will be educated about the impact of growth substances used in poultry feed, he said. Koul said the officers have been directed to conduct random sampling of feeds and poultry birds for profiling the nature of residues and additives. It was also decided that all feeds coming from outside the valley shall be subject to antibiotic residual testing so that the feeds found contaminated with harmful ingredients could be discarded and banned.