Behind bird flu, UP ‘suspects’ other states’ hands

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As per government officials, as of 2013, egg production in the state was 108 crore units while the consumption was 473 crore units annually, leaving a gap of 365 crore eggs, which were imported. As a result, the state had to spend as much as over Rs 1,000 crore on egg import from states such as Punjab, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh.

“We have helped in setting up (approximately 100) poultry units through Poultry Policy and, feeling threatened, other states have been trying to edge us out. In the last one year, we have created an additional capacity of 26 crore eggs,” Rudra Pratap said.

He was seconded by Ali Akbar, president of UP Poultry Farmers Association, who has sought a high level inquiry into the confirmation of the bird flu itself. “The test results could have been manipulated in the Bhopal laboratory,” he said, referring to Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, which conducted the tests on Amethi samples.

“Ever since the implementation of the Poultry Policy in 2013, we are facing stiff pressure from exporters in other states, who have been resorting to all tricks to kill the industry in Ittar Prdaesh,” Ali said. “We usually sold eggs at the rate of Rs 900-950 per crate (of 210 eggs) in winter season but last year, the exporters dropped the market rates and we had to sell at Rs 550-600 per crate,” Ali said.

Meanwhile, Rajneesh Gupta, Principal Secretary at Animal Husbandary department, said “we have told our directorate to ask the Bhopal lab to see if it could pinpoint us in any direction vis a vis the cause of the spread”.