Khammam: Broiler Poultry farmers in Khammam and Bhadradri-Kothagudem districts have decided to temporarily suspend production of broiler chicken due to hiked labour costs and increased broiler bird deaths during summer.
Although the price of broiler chicken touched Rs 250 per kilogram, broiler poultry farmers said that the high prices are not trickling down to them and only traders are getting benefits.
At present, there are 20 lakh broiler birds across 350 poultries in the two districts, expected to meet the demand for a month.
The districts, considered broiler poultry hubs, produce nearly 25 lakh broiler chicken birds per month. Most broiler poultry farmers have agreements with companies, such as Suguna, Sneha, Venkateshwara Hatcheries and Indian Broilers.
Poultry farmers are paid Rs 3 – Rs 4 per kilogram of broiler chicken by the companies, which also provide additional support and supply broiler feed to them. Retailers are given a profit margin of Rs 25 – Rs 35 per kilogram.
In Sattupalli, which houses 115 broiler poultry units, farmers have not been raising new birds for the past 15 days.
K. Dayakar, alias Nani, who runs a broiler poultry farm in Sattupalli, said he has reduced the number of birds from 40,000 to 35,000 at present and plans to reduce it to 25,000 by the next week.
Citing a loss of at least five per cent of broiler chicks during summer, he said, “We will not buy broiler chicks in the next few weeks.”
Individual broiler poultry farmers in the district account for nearly 3.2 lakh broilers per month.
Sources said that broiler traders will source broiler chicken from other districts if the count falls below the 10 lakh broilers mark, which is the monthly consumption in the two districts. A few broiler traders are also importing broilers from Odisha, among other states.
N. Rama Rao, an individual broiler poultry farmer, said, “I lost 200 broiler birds this summer. The price of broiler chicken that has gone above Rs 250 per kilo was of immense benefit to traders than broiler poultry farmers. Broiler traders give broiler farmers a slim margin, when compared to market rates.”
Alapati Ramu, a broiler poultry farmer in Aswaraopet, said that broiler farmers should construct broiler poultry units amid coconut or palm groves to keep them cool. “Broiler Poultry units should be built facing north and south as east and west-facing units are hit by more sunlight,” he said
Source – deccanchronicle
