Rajahmundry: The business in eggs in AP will take a hit as the sale of eggs to other states like West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Assam, declines given the governments of those states encouraging the local poultry industry by offering various incentives to their farmers.
Nearly 4.5 crores of eggs are being produced on an average in the state every day and out of them, about 60% get exported to other states while the remaining 40% of eggs are consumed in the state. The quantum of export of eggs has come down by about 10% in the recent past as the governments in the above mentioned states are offering subsidy in power, feed and also in setting up sheds to keep the poultry.
In addition to it, the rising day temperature in summer is also affecting the production of eggs as the birds get exposed to heat wave and consume more water than feed, resulting in decline in egg laying ability. As the day temperature is expected to rise further in the days ahead, the poultry industry fears that the birds may start perishing unable to bear the severe heat, which also results in decline in production of eggs.
Industry sources say that, on an average each egg is being sold at four rupees in the open market while the poultry farmer who produced it gets only Rs 2.50. The poultry farmers claim that they are incurring Rs 3.50 for production of each egg as the cost of feed, maintenance of sheds to rear the birds and engaging labourers.
The cost of power has also gone up. They say that as they use soyabeen, corn, gingelly powder, oil cake, parboiled rice and other varieties of food to feed the birds, they are incurring huge expenditure just to feed the birds. Engaging the labourers to look after birds, collection of eggs and maintenance of sheds has also become very expensive as no labourer is willing to work unless he or she is paid Rs 150 to Rs 250 per day.
Unable to bear the hardship, a section of farmers whose poultry units are located along the road side, are dismantling them to convert the land for real estate business.
AP Poultry Federation general secretary Padala Subba Reddy said, “As the export of eggs is showing a declining trend and their production is also being affected for various reasons, there is a bleak future for poultry industry in the state unless the state comes to the rescue of farmers to provide incentives.”
