Date:08/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/12/08/stories/2006120802231200.htm

Back Poultry sector wants maize futures banned

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Seeks remedial measures to ensure corn supply

Pune/Coimbatore , Dec. 6

The poultry industry has appealed to the Union Government to initiate necessary remedial measures to ensure that maize will be available in adequate quantity at an affordable price to the poultry farmers. This was announced at the annual general meeting of the National Egg Coordination Committee held in Pune.

Measures sought

It said towards this end, the industry has requested the Centre to remove maize from the list of commodities allowed for forward trading with immediate effect. Ban export of maize immediately, reduce the rate of import duty of maize under basic tariff quota to zero.

The meeting pointed out that the poultry industry is currently facing a crisis due to an unprecedented increase in the price of maize, which is the most crucial ingredient of poultry feed, and accounts for more than 80 per cent of the cost of production of eggs and broilers.

At the present level of production, poultry sector contributes approximately Rs 35,000 crore to the GNP and provides direct and indirect employment to more than 3.2 million persons, mostly in the rural areas.

Nearly two-crore agricultural farmers who grow essential ingredients of poultry feed such as maize and soyabean are also directly dependent on the poultry sector, since 90 per cent of the maize produced in our country is consumed by the poultry industry, it said.

It pointed out that during this time of the year, maize price ranged between Rs 500 and Rs 550 per quintal. However, this year, the price has gone up to Rs 900 per quintal - and in some parts of North India to Rs 1,000 a quintal.