J&K poultry industry seeks compensation

Jammu and Kashmir poultry industry, affected severely by the bird flu scare, has appealed to the state government to constitute a committee to help assess the loss and recommend compensation.

The government is requested to constitute a high-level committee of experts and professionals to assess and the loss and make recommendations for compensation to affected people, Association President Ghulam Ahmad Bhat told reporters here.

Bhat said the government should also impose a total ban on import of adult birds into the state so that the infection of bird flu is prevented from entering the state, which would help the local market to stabilise.

The ban on entry of day-old chicks at night should also be lifted as it was crucial that the chicks reach their destinations in the shortest possible time, he said.

Bhat said the poultry farmers were already accruing huge losses as the production cost per kilogram was at Rs 45 against the wholesale rate of Rs 20 at present.

"The government should take immediate steps to bail out the poultry industry in the state which provided livelihood to 15 per cent of the population directly or indirectly including hatchery men, feed manufacturers, chemists, wholesalers, dealers and retailers," he said.

Jamu and Kashmir has declared the state free of bird flu and allowed import of day old chicks and eggs.