BHUBANESWAR: With Covid-19 pandemic leaving the Rs 1,000 crore egg industry in the State shattered, All Odisha Layer Farmers’ Association has sought financial assistance from the State Government for revival.Members of the association urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to grant a package for poultry sector, including layer units and broiler units, besides exemption of GST on poultry feed raw materials.
They also sought additional working capital loans for farmers along with 5 per cent interest subvention on all existing loans taken by the poultry and layer farmers. The members said given the present situation, the State Government should provide one year moratorium for repayment of the current term loan along with measures for conversion of existing working capital loans to term loans with repayment duration of five years.
Chairman of the association Manas Ranjan Mangaraj said, COVID-19 crisis has doubled problems of the industry which gives employment to around 20,000 people.“The current situation is so grim that 12 egg farms are already preparing to shut their business due to lower prices and higher feed cost in the face of the coronavirus,” Mangaraj said, adding, there has been a huge fall in consumption of egg by citizens due to rumours on Covid-19. It has also come down due to closure of MDM and SNP programme and other lockdown restrictions.
He said the backbone of layer farmers is broken and investments have almost reached a point of no return. “Before it becomes negative and farmers are debt ridden, Government must step up relief measures to keep the units running in this situation,” he said.