Poultry growers challenge insufficient supply claim, blame traders of ignoring local farmers

GANGTOK, 26 Sept: “It is very shocking to read the news about the shortage of poultry meat in Sikkim because of the unavailability of the poultry products in the local farms,” the All Sikkim Poultry Growers Association conveys in a press statement issued today in response to the demand of some traders the import ban on poultry products be lifted [read “Poultry ban, on for too long” NOW! issue dated 22 Sept 2012]. The group has also challenged the argument of a section of the traders that local entrepreneurs and farmers are not being able to meet the State’s demands.
In a counter, the association has contended that they are in fact facing “lot of problems in selling their products because of which they have to bear huge loss sometimes”.
They have claimed that the real problem “arises because of a handful of traders from Gangtok importing [smuggling] poultry products from Siliguri despite the ban” and ignoring the local suppliers.
The association has further questioned the Lall Bazar Traders Association (LBTA) on its contention that local farmers have failed to meet the demand of the local markets and hotels of Sikkim, contending instead that poultry is in surplus in the villages of Sikkim.
“Ideally, a chicken is ready to be sold within 40-45 days, but due to the unavailability of the market for their products they have to wait for 60-65 days which is not a good prospect for business. The local farmers are dealing with this problem for the past few months,” the All Sikkim Poultry Growers Association claims.
In Sikkim, a large number of people are into the poultry farming today. Some have started it with the help of State Government initiative “Poultry Mission” and some have started it own their own, the association informs, reiterating its “disapproval” of claims of insufficient local supply and urged the poultry traders to contact local farmers & entrepreneurs to meet the demand.