The poultry breeders associations have sought extension of Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund Scheme by two years. The scheme ended on March 31, 2023.
The Pan India Broiler Coordination Committee (PIBCC), along with Karnataka Poultry Farmers and Breeders Association (KPFBA), Poultry Farmers & Breeders Association of Maharashtra (PFBA-MH), Telangana Poultry Breeders Association (TPBA), West Bengal Poultry Federation (WBPF), Central India Vencobb Broiler Breeder Hatcheries Association (CIVBBHA) and Broiler Coordination Committee, Tamil Nadu (BCC-TN), has written a letter to Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, seeking an extension of the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund Scheme by another two years.
“This scheme will be a boon to the poultry farmers if it is extended further and will definitely boost the poultry production in India,” PIBCC Convenor, Mr. Vasanth Kumar Shetty said. As the poultry sector was trying to address the challenges posed by Covid in the past 2-3 years, the farmers could not take advantage of the schemes, he said.
Subsidy boost
Sushanth Rai B, President, KPFBA said the scheme launched as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan stimulus package, has been highly beneficial to farmers by providing incentives for investments in animal husbandry infrastructure, including feed mills, hatcheries and processing plants. The 3 per cent interest subsidy offered through the scheme has been a significant boost for the farmers.
Rai said the extension of the scheme, which ended on March 31, 2023, would help more farmers to benefit from establishing infrastructure projects. This initiative, he said, would also help meet the growing demand for quality animal proteins, which is essential for both farmers and consumers.
Chairman of the BCC-Tamil NaduR. Lakshmanan said “by extending the scheme, the government would be helping entrepreneurs to establish infrastructure projects which would generate employment, besides adding to economic growth”.
President of PFBA Maharashtra Sanjay Nalgirkar expressing his concern, stated that “the poultry industry has suffered significant losses in the last two years due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, there has been a lack of expansion in this sector during this period”. Additionally, Nalgilkar said, “the government has provided subsidies to support the poultry industry, but unfortunately, no one has availed of them. Therefore, he urged the government to extend this scheme for at least another year to encourage more individuals and businesses to take advantage of this subsidy programme”.
Sanjay Bramhankar, President of CIVBBHA, said the cost of production of chicken and egg in India is comparatively lower than other producers, which will help tap export market. This is the right time that poultry needs infrastructural support.
G. Ranjith Reddy, President of TPBA, said “We seek the extension of the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development fund facility to be extended at least by two years in the overall interest of poultry business in the country”.