By our Staff Reporter     

GUWAHATI, Oct 17: The All Assam Poultry Farmers and Traders Association has expressed its serious concern over control of the State’s both the wholesale and the retail markets by big poultry farms from outside the State.

Addressing reporters here on Wednesday, president of the All Assam Poultry Farmers and Traders Association, Ajit Kumar Bhagawati, said the poultry farming industry has grown manifold in the State. “As per a government survey, the broiler farming has emerged as one of the most promising sectors in Assam. The demand for broiler chicken is also very high in the Northeast including Assam. Around 3 lakh educated youths are engaged in poultry farming in the State.”

Bhagawati said with the growth of poultry farming in the State, several poultry farms from other parts of the country have set up their shops in the State, which ultimately hampering the welfare of the local poultry industry. “Poultry farms based outside Assam have realized the potential of poultry farming in the State, given the high demand for broiler chicken here.”

According to Bhagawati, “Kolkata and South India based big poultry farms like Sonarets Private Limited, Amit Hatchery Private Limited, Lotus Broiler Farming, Suguna Poultry Farm Limited set up their shops in the State and are doing a roaring business. These companies are also supplying chickens and their foods at lower prices, hampering the business of the local poultry farmers. These big poultry farms are systematically trying to wipe out the local poultry farmers of the State.”

He further stated that many local poultry farmers from Koliabor to Bongaigaon areas were forced to sell their farms to the Kolkata and South India based poultry farming giants. “We earlier urged these big poultry farms to keep the market rates of their products similar to that of the rates of the local poultry farms but no action was taken by these big poultry farms.” The All Assam Poultry Farmers and Traders Association demanded that the Suguna Poultry Farm Limited should leave Assam and the rest of the poultry farms from outside the State should produce on a limited basis. The Association has urged the State government to pass a law to govern the prices of products produced by the poultry farms in the State.

Bhagawati also stated that Meghalaya had done a commendable job by forcing some of the big poultry farms to leave the State.