Kerala: Duck farmers make hay as beef trade faces blow

ALAPPUZHA: The loss of beef trade is the gain of duck business.  The legal and other hurdles in cattle trade and the consequent rise in prices of beef and its shortage have boosted the sale of ducks even as the dispute between the government and poultry farmers remains unsolved. The price of duck meat has touched Rs 300 per kilo  through it is off-season in Kuttanad.  The  duck farmers are depending upon  Tamil Nadu for matured ducks as  rearing of birds in Kuttanad will pick up only during the  harvesting season that begin in September.
Jojo Thundiyil, a duck shop owner at  Mankombu, said  the customers come mainly  from Changanassery, Kottayam, Thiruvalla and Pala.

However, there is shortage of  ducks. When bird flu struck in October last year, over  7.5 lakh  ducks were culled in Kuttanad and surrounding areas. Usually, 5 lakh ducks are reared  for every Christmas- New Year business.   The government had disbursed '12-crore compensation to 138 farmers duck farmers in Kottayam and Alappuzha districts.     J. Raju, another meat seller at  Mankombu, said that the GST had  not affected them as  duck farming was tax-free. Though it was seasonal business earlier, the scenario has changed now.  

“The price may come down next month since it is off season in Tamil Nadu,” he said.   Samuel Pallipad, secretary, All-Kerala Joint Duck Farmers’ Society, said the trade had  improved after the  bird flu outbreak.  “Christmas – New Year is the most important season of duck farmers when business worth  Rs 10 crore takes place,”  he added. Tamil Nadu lobbies along with  a section of domestic suppliers have created a monopoly in the business and they  control the price. The suppliers, according to K. Thankachan, a local duck farmer, bring  aged ducks from Tamil Nadu to Kuttanad and  sell  them under the label of  Kuttanad ducks.   “The fluctuations in Tamil Nadu industry have started reflecting in Kuttanad as well,” he said.