Poultry business hit by biting cold,old hens refuse to lay eggs

Snowfall in hills and fog in plains have adversely affected the poultry business this year. The poultry farmers who used to make highest earnings during winters have suffered losses this year. While November 2009 saw good sales as the price of egg reached to Rs 300 per 100 pieces in wholesale and Rs 400 in retail market,as snowfall started,its price dwindled to Rs 210-220 per hundred.

Haryana Poltry Farm Association president Pramod Singla said old hens stopped laying eggs due to cold weather and poultry farmers were forced to sell them at a throwaway price of Rs 14-16 per kg for meat purposes. Maximum poultries are located in Brabala- Raipur Rani area of Ambala and Panchkula district of Haryana,which meet the demand of Haryana,Punjab,Himachal and J&K. Singla said the poultry farmers of the region are facing tough competition from Southern states which account for huge egg production.

The demand of broilers,which usually go high in this season,was also affected due to the inclement weather. Moreover,the people prefer to purchase fish which is cheaper than the broiler. The cost of broiler is Rs 150 per kg,whereas fish is available at as less as Rs 80 per kg. While the daily production of fish in Ambala district is 227 tonnes,only 30 per cent of it is consumed by local residents,who prefer to purchase fish marketed from Bombay because it is without a thorn. The remaining fish produced in Ambala is sent to other districts.