Opening up Indo-Pak border could boost Poultry sector
INDIA - Punjab's poultry sector, which has been seeing a decline in business, is looking forward to regaining its position as the second largest in the poultry sector, more so with Pakistan exempting the import duty on livestock.Recently, with the Economic Co-ordination committee of Pakistan waiving off duties on export of poultry, the Amritsar Poultry Industry Association (APIA) is exploring trade possibilities in Pakistan.
The poultry delegation has also approached former cricketer turned politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, with a memorandum to wipe away the bureaucratic hurdles hampering poultry business in Amritsar.
The memorandum specifically asks the Centre to explore the possibilities of exporting eggs and chicken to Pakistan and to exalt poultry so that it gets agricultural status. It also aims at allowing capital subsidy to the new poultry units and to help Poultry delegation to Pakistan to get Visa easily.
Jodh Singh Bhandari, President, of the APIA said: "with the opening up of border, production will get doubled or tripled. It will benefit the farmers, labourers and the feed-related sector. It will also provide direct and indirect employment opportunities".
In Punjab, egg production is about 85 lakhs per day and broiler production is a meagre 45 lakhs per month. Layer birds in the state are more than 110 lakhs. Broiler farms and layer farms are about 1750 and 1200 respectively. The total poultry population here constitutes about three crore.
Source: NetIndia
20 May 2005
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