They pointed out that the livestock industry is facing a serious crisis due to the excessive prices of forage and that many poultry farms in the country are running at a loss, says the Daily Mirror.

They warned that the poultry farms are facing the threat of closure if this situation continued. The Poultry Farm Owners Association recently made representations in this regard to the Secretary to the Treasury Dr. P.B.Jayasundara.

President of the association, Dr. D.D. Wanasinghe requested the secretary of the Treasury to withdraw the custom duties on maize and an urgent relief. He pointed out that the prolonged drought that hit the maize cultivation of the last Maha season resulted in the soaring prices of maize in the local market.