Commonground
Senior Moderator
Gangtok, Sikkim, India
map: http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/featu...ylesList=Comprehensive&ZoomOnMapClickCheck=on
Lift ban on poultry products, says consumers - Bird flu scare over, local market looks for some respite
Posted by barunroy on July 15, 2008
GANGTOK, July 14: In spite of the lifting of the ban on poultry products in the rest of the country, the Sikkim Government is yet to take any decision in this regard. Live chicken sales have resumed in markets across the country, including the neighbouring West Bengal after a ban on poultry imports and sales following a bird flu outbreak in Eastern parts of the country.
Thousands of chickens were slaughtered when bird flu was discovered in samples taken from many parts of West Bengal, including Kurseong sub-division of Darjeeling District, bordering Sikkimese towns of Jorethang and Rangpo in January this year. Another outbreak took place in May. The State Government immediately banned the import and sale of poultry products from West Bengal in the State as a precautionary measure.
While there have been speculations over the State Government finally deciding to lift the ban on the import and trade of poultry, which was imposed six months ago, there has been no confirmation from the concerned authorities in this regard.
The ban damaged the poultry market of North Bengal. Siliguri is the trade hub for poultry products worth over Rs 500 crore from North Bengal alone. Sikkim is one of the major markets in the region. The local poultry dealers from the State have sought the State government?s stand on the matter. The ban has severely affected the local market, with the supply of poultry products drying up in the last three months.
?There is a huge demand for broiler chicken, which basically comes from Siliguri markets. Broiler chicken is preferred over the local variety because it is cheap and fast to cook. But there is a big gap between supply and demand,? a poultry dealer in the Capital said. ?I have incurred huge losses in the last three months,? he added.
While there has been an increase in the demand for local chicken and eggs, the prices have proved a dampener. ?Only the moneyed can afford local chicken and eggs these days. It is beyond the reach of the middle and lower classes,? Suraj Rai, a consumer said. While the news that the State Government had decided to lift the ban has been received well, the wait is proving too long for the dealers as well as consumers.
http://beacononline.wordpress.com/2...are-over-local-market-looks-for-some-respite/
map: http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/featu...ylesList=Comprehensive&ZoomOnMapClickCheck=on
Lift ban on poultry products, says consumers - Bird flu scare over, local market looks for some respite
Posted by barunroy on July 15, 2008
GANGTOK, July 14: In spite of the lifting of the ban on poultry products in the rest of the country, the Sikkim Government is yet to take any decision in this regard. Live chicken sales have resumed in markets across the country, including the neighbouring West Bengal after a ban on poultry imports and sales following a bird flu outbreak in Eastern parts of the country.
Thousands of chickens were slaughtered when bird flu was discovered in samples taken from many parts of West Bengal, including Kurseong sub-division of Darjeeling District, bordering Sikkimese towns of Jorethang and Rangpo in January this year. Another outbreak took place in May. The State Government immediately banned the import and sale of poultry products from West Bengal in the State as a precautionary measure.
While there have been speculations over the State Government finally deciding to lift the ban on the import and trade of poultry, which was imposed six months ago, there has been no confirmation from the concerned authorities in this regard.
The ban damaged the poultry market of North Bengal. Siliguri is the trade hub for poultry products worth over Rs 500 crore from North Bengal alone. Sikkim is one of the major markets in the region. The local poultry dealers from the State have sought the State government?s stand on the matter. The ban has severely affected the local market, with the supply of poultry products drying up in the last three months.
?There is a huge demand for broiler chicken, which basically comes from Siliguri markets. Broiler chicken is preferred over the local variety because it is cheap and fast to cook. But there is a big gap between supply and demand,? a poultry dealer in the Capital said. ?I have incurred huge losses in the last three months,? he added.
While there has been an increase in the demand for local chicken and eggs, the prices have proved a dampener. ?Only the moneyed can afford local chicken and eggs these days. It is beyond the reach of the middle and lower classes,? Suraj Rai, a consumer said. While the news that the State Government had decided to lift the ban has been received well, the wait is proving too long for the dealers as well as consumers.
http://beacononline.wordpress.com/2...are-over-local-market-looks-for-some-respite/