Nashik: Coronavirus or Covid-19 outbreak is becoming a threat to people’s health as well as for the businesses. Each and every sector has been affected by the Covid-19 spread. Poultry business especially has suffered the maximum loss in last one month. The business in state is suffering loss of around Rs 700 crores daily. Farmers who are depending on it are also facing losses.
The poultry business in Nashik district is sufferng loss of Rs 40 crores on daily basis. Poultry business loss is a perfect example of how can a wrong, fake or misinformation can affect anything. A social media message that the spread of the virus is due to chicken has totally collapsed the poultry business.
The live chicken which was selling out at a price of Rs 75 to Rs 80 per kg is now receiving a price of Rs 5 to 15 per kg for a live bird. In poultry business, it takes 45 days to grow the chicks to a healthy bird. The overall cost of taking care and growing the bird for 45 days is Rs 150 per bird. It includes price of chicks, feed, management cost, labour cost, medicine and other cost.
The poultry farms get price of Rs 75 to Rs 80 per kg but now they are suffering loss of Rs 65 to Rs 75 per kg.
Poultry businessmen have sought help from the government. The losses have become unbearable and the owners have decided to shut their poultry farms. It will again create a huge unemployment in rural parts.
“From last one month there is sudden decline in the demand. This has broken backbone of the business. We have suffered a loss of around Rs 200 crores in just one month. One fake message has ruined the business, though the disease has no relation with the chicken. The misinformation has spread to the grassroots too. We are suffering more losses in villages due to the fake news about Coronavirus. The business is suffering loss of Rs 65 on per kg basis.”
– Sachin Pawar, Manager, poultry company, Nashik
“The healthy bird which was getting price of Rs 75 to Rs 80 per kg is now getting rate of Rs 7 to Rs 15 per kg. The government should help the poultry business to stand at least. The business has suffred tremendous loss in just one month. We are giving away the bird like free of cost with loss of Rs 150 on every bird.”
– Samadhan Chitte, owner, poultry farm
