Poultry industry in the dark over chicken imports

Wednesday, 22 December 2010 00:29 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Shezna Shums

Despite different views on the available quantities of poultry in the country, no direct talks have taken place between the All Island Poultry Association and the Ministry of Livestock and Rural Community Development or the Ministry of Cooperatives and Internal Trade.

The All Island Poultry Association last week requested a meeting with the Ministry of Livestock and Rural Community Development.

However there was no response to this request.

Even this week’s shipment of 5000 metric tonnes of chicken was not conveyed to the All Island Poultry Association; whereby the authorities could have cautioned the Association on the local output of chicken to avoid a glut in the market as well as re arrange the distribution method, in order to assist the local poultry farmers.

Poultry farmers in the areas of Ja ela, Wattala and Kandana do not have cold storage facilities and excess stocks of meat will mean a loss for them.

Yesterday the Ministry of Cooperatives and Internal Trade was expecting a shipment of 5000 metric tons of chicken and eggs from India.

The chicken will be available at all Lak Sathosa outlets for the public to buy, while some of the meat will be kept as a buffer stock for emergencies.

The Ministry of Cooperatives and Internal Trade could neither provide the exact cost of this week’s shipment of chicken and eggs nor say from which State or district in India the chicken and eggs were being imported.

President, All Island Poultry Association, Dr. D.Wanasinghe said that chicken meat should be stored at -80o C, and if the meat is to be stored for over two weeks, the question of storage facilities for the excess meat, would arise.

The All Island Poultry Association was summoned by the Treasury department last month and asked about their capacity to meet the increasing demand for chicken and at that meeting only representatives of the relevant ministries were present.

Despite the All Island Poultry Association’s repeated attempts to have a direct dialog with the Ministry of Livestock and Rural Community Development, no meetings have taken place so far.