Tiruchirapalli, Jan 22: Prices of egg and broiler chicken has fallen sharply in the last two days in city and surrounding areas following the outbreak of bird flu in different places of West Bengal.

An owner of a city shop told to the sources that normally he used to sell at least 300 eggs per day, but during the last three days, the sale had come down to 80-90 eggs a day with the price of an egg falling from Rs 2 to Rs 1.20 to Rs 1.30.

Similarly, the sale of broiler chicken had also plummeted with the rate touching a low of Rs 25 a kg yesterday, from Rs 34 a kg a couple of days ago due to panic sales, owners of some shops selling chicken said.

The owners said there was also a slump of regular customers as they opted for fish or meat instead of chicken.

A report from neighbouring Namakkal district, a poultry hub of the country, facing yet another crisis in just three years said poultry farmers were apprehensive about eggs piling up at the backyards of their farms.

A poultry exporter, who did not want to be named told to the sources over phone that the major buyers like Dubai, Kuwait and Oman have immediately re-imposed the ban on poultry import from India after the outbreak of H5NI Avian influenza in West Bengal.

He said almost all the consignments of eggs and meat that left Namakkal, a week ago were detained at various ports and destinations following the ban.

Nearly four crore eggs have piled up in the godowns of 750 farms in Namakkal area, which produces an average of 2.5 crore eggs a day, he added.

The exporter wanted that the World Health Organisation (WHO) which declared India, free of bird flu, when faced with a similar crisis three years ago, should declare Tamil Nadu, free of bird flu in order to protect the interest of poultry farmers.

Meanwhile, the National Egg Coordination Committee (Namakkal zone), the apex body that fixes the price of eggs, had slashed the rate from Rs 1.60 to Rs 1.20 an egg to tide over the crisis.


UNI