Fear walks on chicken legs imported from US for poultry sector

KOZHIKODE: Reports of the entry of processed chicken from the US to India has sent shockwaves across the Rs 50,000 crore poultry industry including 4 lakh farmers and lakhs of traders, who are all set to oppose any such attempt tooth and nail. If it becomes a reality the move would also hit the ‘Kerala Chicken project’ of the state, a dream project of finance minister Thomas Isaac. The poulty industry had a mixed reaction to the development as many termed it as a mere rumour they have been hearing for the last many years. However, a majority are worried. 

Experts point out that India had lost a case in the WTO against the US way back in 2014 against the ban on poultry products to India citing protection to the country from avian influenza (bird flu). The legal wrangles started after US challenged the ban in WTO in 2012. Recently, India had made changes in the import rules of poultry in tune with the stipulations of WTO, facilitating US chicken legs to domestic markets.   Leaders of Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithy and Kerala Poultry Merchants Association are already on alert about the possibility. They will meet on Saturday at Kozhikode to streamline future plans.

KVVES president T. Nazrudheen told DC that the chicken legs are leftover food in the US which has no demand as Americans prefer the chicken breast meat. “So it is easy for them to dump the heaped up waste to India at a throwaway price,” he said. The move may cause health hazards apart from hurting the large industry which helps lakhs of traders to eke out a living,” he pointed out. The price of imported chicken legs may be as low as Rs 100 in the market as it is estimated to cost around Rs 70 at the ports. The poultry farmers are also on war path. Farmers’ organisations are mooting to take up the issue at the national level as there are more than four lakh poultry farmers across the nation. Domestic breeders produce about 3.5 million tones of chicken every year.

All India Kisan Sabha national treasurer P. Krishnaprasad who is also the chairman of Brahmagiri Development Society, the nodal agency for the  ‘Kerala Chicken’ project told DC that it is time farmers and traders should unite against such global invasions into  market. “We are not worried as we are confident to fight such threats of neocolonial aggressions facilitated by the present day rulers,” he added.