March 10, 2020

Indian state's poultry farmers lose up to INR500 crore a month

Due to rumours linking the spread of coronavirus to poultry items, several non-vegetarians state-wide stopped the consumption of chicken and eggs thereby causing Maharashtra's poultry farmers to stare at losses amounting to INR450-500 crore per month.

Over Friday and Saturday, producers sold chicken at astonishingly low rates that were unheard of in Mumbai in recent years. Chicken prices at the farm end had dropped to INR20 per kg, the retail price was INR60/kg and dressed chicken (with skin) was selling for INR80/kg. These are less than half the average rates. Eggs fell to INR48 per dozen from the average of INR60-65/dozen.

This steady drop in consumption has caused the authorities to rise to quell fears. On Saturday, Ajit Ranade, dean of the Mumbai Veterinary College, held a press conference to clarify that no research worldwide has linked food items, particularly poultry, to coronavirus.

Ranade said, "Maharashtra alone could suffer a loss of INR450-500 crore per month due to these rumours. Our state consumes 4.5 crore broiler chickens per month. Given that it takes INR65-70 to produce a 1-kg bird, farmers are losing up to INR55 per kg. Also, 1.5 crore eggs are sold in Maharashtra each day. Poultry farmers are losing one rupee on a single egg. This is a dire situation."

"Nowhere in the world is there any documentation to establish the transmission of coronavirus through food items, or from animals to human beings. This disease spreads through human to human contact," Ranade added.

Ancillary industries linked to poultry, like chicken feed including corn and soybean farmers, pharma and other sectors are also weighed down by this falsehood. Ranade said, "Moreover, consumers are losing out on poultry as an important source of protein. Indian vegetarian food lacks the protein nourishment of meat. People who are avoiding chicken and eggs are compromising their immunity."