TIRUPPUR: Poultry farmers belonging to the Tamilaga Vivasayigal Pathukappu Sangam across Tamil Nadu have intensified their protests demanding revision in rearing rate for hens. They also claimed the police are registering false cases and arresting farmers based on false complaints by broiler companies in order to suppress their protest.
More than a thousand farmers participated in a one-day hunger strike at Avinashipalayam in Tiruppur on Sunday, demanding the immediate release of Easan Murugasamy, the founder of the Tamilaga Vivasayigal Pathukappu Sangam, and nine poultry farmers.
Later, 20 farmers among them began an indefinite hunger strike.
R Sathish Kumar, state secretary of the legal awareness wing of the association, said, "The government has called trilateral talks on the rearing rate on January 21 due to our protest. But broiler companies do not want it and hence filing false cases. This is condemnable.
"Easan and nine poultry farmers must be immediately and unconditionally released. The cases registered against farmers at the Gudimangalam, Udumalaipet, Thali, Negamam, and Sultanpet police stations should be dropped. Twenty of us have started a continuous hunger strike to press our demands."
Poultry farmers in the state have been on strike since January 1.
On January 11, poultry farmers intercepted the vehicles of broiler companies at Gudimangalam and allegedly threatened the staff. Similar incidents took place in other areas including Udumalaipet.
The police arrested Easan and a few poultry farmers based on complaints filed by broiler companies regarding this matter.
The intercepted vehicles were transporting chicks.
At present, broiler companies are said to be giving Rs 6.5 per kg to poultry farmers for broiler chicken, Rs 15 per kg for farm-reared country chicken and Rs 3 for quail.
Poultry farmers want companies to increase their rate to Rs 20 per kg for broiler chicken, Rs 25 per kg for farm-reared country chicken, and Rs 7 per kg for quail.
Association's president R Shanmugasundaram, presided over the protest at Avinashipalayam on Sunday.