The industry asked the government to take up the question of cash credit to the industry, as many of them have registered severe losses in the last month or so.(File)

Maharashtra’s poultry industry has asked for a special compensation package from the government to help them tide over the significant losses they have been facing in the last month because of misinformation regarding the coronavirus. In a meeting with Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Minister Sunil Kedar, industry representatives asked for compensation to the tune of Rs 100 per bird.

Since the first week of February, the industry has been reeling under low consumption of poultry as social media-led misinformation campaigns had linked poultry meat with Covid-19, keeping people away from chicken and eggs. The situation has stayed the same even though industry sources said they were selling birds as low as Rs 5-10 per kg. The cost of production of a market-ready 40-day-old bird weighing between 2-2.5 kg is estimated to be Rs 150.

Kedar, in his earlier meeting with the industry, had assured of fast and strict action against the misinformation campaigns. This had led to Sachindra Pratap Singh, the commissioner of animal husbandry, to file police complains against such campaigns. While consumption had improved, rising cases of the coronavirus again led to a decline in consumption.

On Thursday, a delegation of the Maharashtra chapter of the Poultry Farmers and Breeders Association met Kedar. In their charter of demands, they asked for immediate compensation of Rs 100 per bird for the losses they have suffered. Similarly, they have asked the government to include eggs in mid-day meal schemes, which, they said, will send a positive message about the consumption of poultry meat and eggs.

The industry asked the government to take up the question of cash credit to the industry, as many of them have registered severe losses in the last month or so. They have urged to government to direct the banks to convert existing cash credit into long-term loans with a moratorium period for repayment. The industry has also urged the government to direct gram panchayats to waive taxes for villages where their units are housed. The industry has also asked for a three-month grace period for repayment of their electricity bills.