Dr Raashid Jeelani, veterinary assistant surgeon, quarantine check post Zig, Qazigund told Greater Kashmir that more than 157 vehicles carrying 4,40,129 poultry birds reached to the Valley till Wednesday evening. The import includes 2,47,020 broilers, 80,799 layers and 36,854 parent stock.

Giving breakup, Dr Jeelani, said out of 157 truckloads “87 were dispatched to Srinagar, 39 to Islamabad, 15 to Kupwara, five to Pulwama, nine to Ganderbal and one each to Shopian and Budgam.”

The import included 119 truckloads from Punjab, 23 from Haryana, one from Himachal Pradesh and eight from Jammu and six from Kathua. 1462 birds found dead at the checkpost at Qazigund were destroyed by the officials of the department.

Jeelani said the import figures are likely to move up with Eid drawing closer.

Meanwhile, Animal Husbandry Department has also arranged around five lakh poultry birds from the local poultry farmers for the sale on the eve of Eid. “We have kept a huge number of birds available at various departmental retail outlets,” Mufti Ali Muhammad, Deputy Director Poultry development told Greater Kashmir.

Mufti said the department has sold more than two lakh birds in the past two days and expect sales to pick up on Thursday.

“For Srinagar city depots we have arranged ready-to-cook dressed chicken which are slaughtered as per Halal method and are hygienically packed,” he said.

“As a goodwill gesture on Eid, we are selling chicken by Rs two less in Srinagar and rupee one less in rural market than the rates fixed by Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department (CAPD). “This way we are contributing our bit to the price control effort,” Mufti added.