The season's first case of bird flu was confirmed in October last year on a poultry farm in Okayama prefecture
The contract farming model isn't benefiting the growers anymore, they allege
The plea challenged the May last year order of the Director of Animal Husbandry, which directed immediate closure of all the dairy farms
The National Green Tribunal has asked the Central Pollution Control Board to issue guidelines for poultry farms with more than 5,000 birds
Nine districts of Maharashtra have so far reported bird flu cases
Although eggs are served in the southern and some eastern states under MDM, milk is a staple diet in the majority of states running the flagship scheme
Despite the increase, both broiler chicken and eggs are selling at break even, though their cost of production has declined on account of a sharp fall in the price of feed such as maize and soybean
Farmers in the two states have reportedly begun culling chickens, while the state governments have restricted supply of chicken across their borders
The poultry market consumes around half of soybean and maize production in India.
Many small and unorganised players have been forced to close down and explore other means of livelihood
Sources said that talks between India and the US are in an advanced stage, which would force India to cut import duty to 30 per cent from the existing 100 per cent on chicken import from US
The data released yesterday shows that while overall the number of India's poultry birds have risen from 729.2 million to 851.8 million as the 2019 census, an increase of almost 17 per cent
India's growing population, rising disposable incomes and changing food habits are boosting the consumption of non-vegetarian food, according to CLFMA
Overall increase in raw material cost has raised the cost of production of broiler chicken to Rs 80 a kg