Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon Thursday called for encouraging local youths and entrepreneurs to invest in poultry industry.While convening a meeting of poultry farmers, Divisional Commissioner said there is a huge demand of feed for the poultry industry which is being exported from the neighbouring States. He said measures should be taken to encourage local people to grow maize seeds so that they can provide feed to poultry industry and to give fillip to diverse economic activities. He said government can provide seeds to them on subsidized rates.
The poultry farmers informed the Divisional Commissioner that they are producing 60 percent of the total poultry consumed in the valley locally. The poultry farmers demanded redress of grievance to enable them to meet the demand of poultry in full.
During the meeting the farmers apprised the Divisional Commissioner about the problems confronting them and demanded imposition of tax on the adult birds being imported from other states.Responding to the demands, officers of sales tax department informed the meeting that they have already recommended additional taxes on import of adult birds to regulate prices in local market.Farmers said the birds being imported from high tech farms of Punjab are sold at cheap rates in the state and hence affecting the local industry.Dr Samoon said farmers will be provided a Special Poultry Credit Card on the pattern of Kissan Credit Card so that they can upgrade their business.
During the meeting poultry farmers said that they cannot avail benefit of various schemes as the industries department has put the industry in negative list. On this, Divisional Commissioner assured them that he will take up the issue with concerned quarters regarding the same. To maintain the quality of feed and meat, the Divisional Commissioner asked Department of Drug Control to take samples of feed and meat regularly from market to check its quality.The Divisional Commissioner said poultry mandi will be established in Pulwama and Kupwara which will start functioning by next month and will provide much needed marketing facility to the farmers. He said that similar mandi will also come up in Srinagar.
The farmers also put forth demands regarding regulating rates of poultry items. The Divisional Commissioner assured them that their genuine demands will be redressed on priority.The meeting was attended by Director Animal Husbandry, Director Industries, General Manager SIDCO, Director Fisheries, Deputy Director CA&PD and Poultry farmers from various districts.