- Chicken supply in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will be hit by a broiler sales suspension from July 31
- Tamil Nadu Poultry Traders Federation passed a resolution to suspend sales indefinitely over feed practices
- Traders allege producers feed birds before market to inflate weight, causing hygiene and financial issues
Chicken supply in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry is likely to take a hit as a federation of poultry traders' associations announced an indefinite suspension of broiler sales across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry from July 31, protesting a certain feeding practice followed by poultry producers.
The Tamil Nadu Poultry Traders Federation formally passed a resolution to this effect during an emergency consultative meeting held here on Monday.
Speaking to reporters, Federation State President Durairaj stated that poultry farmers have refused to implement feed-control regulations, causing significant financial loss and hygiene issues for both consumers and vendors.
The primary grievance of the traders is that poultry producers are feeding birds right up to the time they are dispatched to the market in order to artificially inflate their weight. As a result, between 100 and 200 grams of undigested feed and water remain in the chicken's stomach at the time of purchase, traders claim.
"When the chicken is butchered and cleaned, this undigested feed and waste spill over, contaminating the meat," Durairaj alleged. They also pointed out that consumers are being unfairly forced to pay meat prices for the weight of this undigested feed.
To resolve the issue, the federation has demanded that producers withhold feed for at least 15 hours before dispatching the birds for sale. Furthermore, traders have urged the State government and the animal husbandry department to urgently intervene and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) on poultry-rearing and feed practices.
The federation also acknowledged the severe disruption this will cause, noting that restaurants and the general public will be significantly affected. Apologising for the inconvenience, the federation maintained that they have no other alternative but to call for the shutdown to ensure hygienic practices.
Due to the strike, an estimated 60,000 to 1,00,000 retail poultry shops are expected to remain shut. The protest has also received solidarity and support from allied traders' associations in neighbouring Kerala.
