October 23, 2006

Kashmir poultry farmers in India oppose contract farming

The Kashmir valley poultry farmers association has alleged that the government is developing foreign companies at the local industry's expense by forcing them into contract farming.

The association said that the government gave incentives to a foreign company to encourage the setting up of its operations there when it did not lift a finger to help local poultry farmers when they suffered heavy losses caused by bird flu outbreaks during the earlier part of the year.

Instead of offering help, the government added to the burden by imposing a tax on chicks imported to the region, they said.

Complaints to the former chief minister and finance minister have fallen on deaf ears.

Members of the association said they are strongly opposed to the entrance of the Venkateshwara Group in the valley.

The group urged a ban on sending raw materials and feeds for Jammu and Kashmir earlier this year, endangering the poultry farms there.

Punjabi farmers had earlier halted feed supplies to poultry farms in Kashmir and Jammu when the latter banned poultry from Punjab on bird flu concerns earlier this year.

Members said the government's move to bring contract farming to the Kashmir Valley is irrational as it has failed in regions such as Punjab, Himachal, Haryana.