PANAJI: As the ban on chicken supply from other states continues in Goa, traders have begun to source birds from poultries in the state and near the Goa border in a bid to ensure that their business does not see a drop.
Vendor Alfredo Dias has been sourcing chickens from the interiors of Goa to cope with the ban on bringing in chicken from other states. The downside of making this purchase, however, is that the traders are compelled to pay a slightly higher price to the local supplier compared to their regular suppliers in the neighbouring states.
Another trader, who runs the Afroz Chicken store in the Panaji market, has started sourcing the birds from a poultry owner at Verna. “Buyers are slowly returning and our sales are picking up,” he said, adding that chicken prices will soon go back to Rs 149 per kg.
Live chicken is currently being sold at Rs 139-145 per kg and dressed chicken is going at Rs 159-169 per kg.
“The apprehension surrounding the avian influenza (bird flu) is slowly beginning to dissipate. It is very common for this outbreak to occur during winter and then subside,” said president of the All Goa Poultry Association, Jaikrishna Naik, who has been sourcing birds from border areas like Sindhudurg after showing fitness certificate to the state police to allow the birds to pass.
The association was going to write to the chief minister to lift the ban, but has now decided not to do so as buyers after the initial apprehension are slowly starting to return.
Royal Foods, which has its own poultry in Goa and carries out retail sale as well as institutional supply of chicken, said that the demand for chicken is slowly increasing. “We are ISO certified and maintain quality and hygiene standards owing to which many buyers are placing orders with us. Our farms are maintained scientifically and so our bird do not have any disease,” said general manager at Royal Foods, Shivanand Sawant.
Director of animal husbandry and veterinary services, Santosh Desai told TOI that the department is awaiting intimation from the central government to lift the ban on chicken supply