The farmers said that it was unfortunate that the prices were being fixed by officials who did not have the basic know-how about poultry rearing in Kashmir and urged the government to have qualified veterinary graduates on the price fixation committee for poultry and poultry products, milk and milk products and sheep and sheep products so that producers’ interests are taken due care.

Farmers from Pohroo, Chatergam and adjoining areas, where a large number of poultry farms have come up during past decade, rued their luck for having opted for the activity, alleging ‘the authorities were showing more interest in the welfare of Punjab farmers than the state’s own’.

They said no incentives were available to them in the shape of free medicines, vaccines, subsidized feed and chicks. They demanded that these inputs need to be subsidized if the state government is really interested in achieving self-sufficiency in poultry production and the welfare of the farmers.

A large number of unemployed youth have taken up the avocation to earn an honourable living but the government policy is proving disastrous for the industry, lamented the farmers who wanted the government to come to their rescue by helping them in marketing their produce. It would be in place to mention here that Budgam farmers produce more than twenty lakh broilers per annum.

The farmer-vets interaction was organized under centrally sponsored programme ASCAD by the BVO, Budgam Dr Rafi Muzaffar, during which experts from the department discussed various methods of disease control including Bird Flu.

They were told about the bio-security measures that could help them to prevent infections to their flocks and in-turn reduces costs of production. Drs Shakeel, G M Rather, M S Surma, NDA Reshi, SM Zamir Andrabi and F A Kaloo made presentations on different topics whereas SM Akhtar Andrabi, Chief AH Officer Budgam presented a vote of thanks.