According to The Hindu, Srinivas of Sai Venus Poultry Farm, Hospet told reporters on 30 July that the price of maize - the main ingredient of the feed - has gone up, and it is not easily available in open market.

The price of maize used to be 550 rupees (INR) quintal last year. But this year, it seems to have gone up to INR1200 a quintal, he said. Similarly, prices of broken rice, bran and oil cakes, which are used as feed, have gone up, making it difficult for poultry farmers to run their business, Mr. Srinivas said.

“The increase in the price of maize and its non-availability in open market are mainly due to forward trading. Even after making payment in advance, the availability of maize is not assured. As a result, birds are starving and poultry farms are in crisis,” he said and added that the shortage of power and non-availability of diesel had come in the way of preparing the feed.

Mr Srinivas said that about five tonnes of maize was needed every day to feed 100,000 birds. There were nearly five million birds on 50 poultry farms in the two districts, he said.

G. Srinivas of Kalyani Poultry Farm in Bellary said that Bellary and Koppal are the major egg and broiler chicken producing districts in the state, catering to the needs of Bangalore (50 per cent), Maharashtra and Goa (25 per cent), areas around Bellary (15 per cent) and the local people.