After 2-month breather, ban resumes on import of eggs

GANGTOK, 04 Jan: Traders of poultry products, especially eggs, are back in the cold with the resumption of the ban on import of eggs. The notification issued by the Animal Husbandry Department in mid October temporarily lifting the ban on the import of eggs expired on 31 December. This had been only a temporary lifting of the ban on import of eggs which the department had issued “in view of the tourist season and the shortage of eggs in the market”. The lifting of the ban had also been explained by the department as owing to the holiday season and rise in the demand of eggs.
It had been expected that the department would not clamp down on the import of eggs and extend the notification. However that has not happened. Traders inform that the ban is back in place and operation.
Earlier while inquiring with officials of the department it had been confirmed that the ban on import of eggs would be back in operation from 01 January. And as the state would have it, the import of eggs from outside into Sikkim is once again banned bringing into focus the arbitrary hand being played by the state. Prices of eggs are expected to skyrocket once again which had actually come down drastically the past few weeks. Shortage of poultry and protein has once again hit the markets and breakfast tables.
On the other hand the government is holding steadfast onto its illogical and ill informed ban on the import of dressed chicken into the state. All these bans are being bandied about by the government on the excuse of bird flu which we have not heard about in more than a year now.
What is strange is that the notification temporarily lifting the ban on import of eggs made no mention of bird flu. As a result the public of the state are in for a hard time again when it comes to chicken and eggs. Apart from the common man the common small time trader has once again been affected and as one trader informs they will be getting together to petition the concerned department – for the umpteenth time.