TIRUPPUR: Poultry farmers rearing chickens on contractual basis for broiler companies on Wednesday staged protests in Tiruppur and Erode districts condemning the arrest of Tamilaga Vivasayigal Pathukappu Sangam founder Easan Murugasamy and some other farmers belonging to the association on Tuesday night by police allegedly for involvement in intercepting vehicles transporting chicks and threatening company staff.
Poultry farmers across Tamil Nadu have been on strike since January 1 over “low chicken-rearing rates” offered by these companies. They are pressing for revising the rates. The state government has called for tripartite talks (government, poultry farmers, and broiler companies) on January 21 in this regard. While the arrest was based on complaints filed by private broiler chicken companies, the protests were held by the Sangam and some other farmers’ organisations.
Easan was arrested by the Gudimangalam police on Tuesday night from the Avinashipalayam area when he was on his way to Tiruppur after participating in a public meeting in Dindigul district.
“Around 8 pm on Sunday at Gudimangalam four-road junction here, as part of the ongoing strike, farmers intercepted vehicles of Shanthi Feeds, and Super Breeding Farm companies that were transporting chicks and allegedly threatened the staff,” sources said.
A police officer said, “On Monday, S Gopal, the manager of Shanthi Feeds, filed a complaint at the Gudimangalam police station, alleging that Easan was behind it. Based on the complaint, the police arrested Easan and poultry farmer Kuppusamy.”
The farmers should press for their demands in a peaceful manner, the officer added.
Similarly, Suguna Foods filed a complaint at the Udumalaipet police station here stating that farmers had intercepted a vehicle carrying the company’s chicks on Monday. The police registered a case against 16 people in this regard and arrested four of them.
N Ramesh, Tiruppur urban secretary of Tamilaga Vivasayigal Pathukappu Sangam, said, “The broiler companies have filed false complaints against Easan to prevent him from participating in the talks scheduled for January 21. This is a planned conspiracy by the broiler companies. We will deal with it legally.”
At present, chicken producers are allegedly giving Rs 6.5 per kg to poultry farmers for broiler chicken. Also, the farmers are getting only Rs 15 per kg for farm-reared country chicken and Rs 3 for quail. This rate has not been changed for more than five years.