KOCHI: Minister for Animal Husbandry K Raju on Friday said the state should achieve self- sufficiency in production of egg, milk and meat. He was speaking at the distribution of community investment fund of the Kerala Chicken project, launched in association with the Animal Husbandry Department and the Poultry Development Corporation (Kepco) with the aim of making quality chicken available to people in Kochi.
The Kerala Chicken project is being implemented with the aim of achieving self- sufficiency, said the minister said. Though the tax slab of chicken was reduced after GST implementation, the price of chicken has been high in the state. The Kerala Chicken project aims to bring the sector under control.
As part of the project, Kudumbashree members will get 1,000 birds and chicks can be returned for sale when they are 45 days old.
The government will provide `1 lakh at an interest rate of 4 pc for setting up the farm. The Kepco will give `85 a kg for the chicken. The community investment fund was introduced with an aim of facilitating effective chicken rearing. The minister said the local self-government institutions should take a liberal approach in issuing licence for running the farms.