Indian Govt mulls subsidy for poultry farmers

BANGALORE - A team of media managers to allay fears on bird flu and subsidiaries and soft loans for poultry owners are among the plans that government is chalking out to help Rs 1900-crore poultry industry come out of the present crisis.

The government said poultry farmers have incurred a loss to the tune of Rs 196.50 crore in the last two months following bird flu scare.

Animal husbandry minister V S Acharya said the government was considering at least 25% subsidy on wheat purchased by poultry farmers until the scare dies.

Chairing a meeting of representatives of National Egg Coordination Committee, NABARD, Karnataka Cooperative Poultry Federation, Karnataka Hatcheries Association, Food Corporation of India and SLBA and poultry farmers, he said: "The subsidy would reduce the feed cost for the farmers by at least 50%.

Source: Times of India

4 April 2006