Maize for poultry farmers

Pune, May 6: The National Egg Coordination Committee NECC and Bharat Eggs Producers Association BEPA, both voluntary association of egg producers, will import 10,000 to 15,000 tons of maize in the next one month. The imported maize will be sold to the poultry farmers on a no profit no loss basis.

The poultry industry has been facing a difficult situation for the past two years due to the unremunerative price for the end products that is, eggs and broilers on one hand and an unprecedented increase in the cost of essential feed ingredients on the other hand. Feed cost amounts to nearly 75 per cent of the cost of production of eggs and broilers. Maize constitutes 50 to 60 per cent of the feed rations and therefore even a small increase in the price of the ingredients can wipe out the farmers8217; profits. Chairperson of NECC Anuradha Desai said that her organisations have appealed to the Ministry of Agriculture to import substantial quantities of maize exclusively for the use of poultry farmers to tide over the crisis until the next harvest reaches the market.

Between 1997-98 and now the price of maize has gone up from Rs. 4500-4750 to Rs. 6750, that is an increase of 42 per cent forcing thousands of small farmers to suspend or even close down farms. The proposed import of maize by the National Egg Coordination NECC is in addition to the imports of any through goverment agencies.