PONDA: All Goa Poultry Farmers and Traders Association (AGPFTA), at its first general body meeting, has complained that Maharashtra and Karnataka counterparts are eating their business illegally on a daily basis and urged Government save their traditional business by taking suitable measures.
The Association which was formed recently at Ponda demanded that government henceforth, for survival of local traders and farmers direct the Karnataka and Maharashtra traders to conduct the sale of their poultry in Goa under AGPFTA. They also demanded uniformity in the rate of selling birds.
Addressing the media, AGPETA President Jayakrishna Naik said the broiler or chicken consumption in Goa is 1.20 lakh birds per day which is around 200 tonne and consumption of eggs is over six lakh per day. However majority of Goa’s requirements are met by traders from Karnataka and Maharashtra as Goa hardly produces around 5 percent of total requirement.
Further more than 60 percent shops are also operated by outsiders and they easily sell their stuff illegally in any panchayat or municipality area and there is no government control over their shops or rates of chicken mostly run by Rohingyas.
Naik further said, “We know that Goa depends on poultry traders from outside, but birds sold by them are not always uniform to local traders, due to which the Goans traders and farmers suffer losses.”
Naik added migrant traders sell birds illegally in Goa and further sell it at cheaper rate and eat into the business of locals. He said local Goan farmers want uniformity in rates to sustain their business. Secondly, migrant traders should be permitted to operate in Goa only under AGPFTA for survival of local farmers and traders. This would help to encourage Goan farmers and traders and would encourage youth to take up poultry business, he said.
