Jharkhand allows poultry from Orissa, Andhra

The Jharkhand government has lifted ban on the import of eggs and chickens from Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.

However, the embargo on the products from West Bengal will continue.

The state animal husbandry department (AHD) on February 8 sent a circular to the district administrations in Jharkhand to allow the import of eggs and chickens from Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.

The circular mentioned that the ban on the import of poultry products from neighbouring West Bengal will continue as usual as the threat of bird flu there has not yet blown over.

The Andhra Pradesh government in a letter to the Jharkhand government stated that several hundred truckloads of eggs and chickens from the southern state had been detained at inter-state border and created bottlenecks in the movement of vehicular traffic.

Besides, the poultry business there had been badly affected.

However, a Jharkhand government circular specifically stated that all trucks carrying poultry products would only be permitted to enter Jharkhand after the teams of state AHD officials conducted a thorough check of the birds being carried.

A section of poultry traders in Jharkhand were happy about the withdrawal of ban on the import of poultry products from Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.

However, Jharkhand Poultry Association office-bearers were of the view that it would take quite some time for the effects of the major financial setback which poultry farmers had suffered on account of bird flu to overcome.

The poultry traders here said that business in Jharkhand depended heavily on the import of poultry products from West Bengal.

Over 75 per cent of their demand was met from import of birds and eggs from West Bengal.

The major West Bengal based hatchery, Arambag Hateheries, sold about 15 ton of chicken per month in the state capital alone through its seven branded outlets.

All its outlets had been closed since January 28.

According to A K Sarkar, principal secretary of the AHD, the state government had already diverted nearly Rs 90 lakh from the resources under 'assistance to states for control of animal diseases (ASCAD)' fund to Godda, Pakur and Sahibganj areas which were adjacent to West Bengal to identify vulnerable poultry farms, cull suspect distribute compensation.