The poultry industry in Mysuru, which was badly hit from the twin scare of coronavirus and bird flu, has begun distribution of free eggs to migrant labourers, pourakarmikas and other poor including slum dwellers.
An estimated 11,000 eggs will be distributed over the next 15 to 20 days. Minister for Cooperation S.T. Somashekar, who is also the Minister in the charge of Mysuru district, launched the free egg distribution programme at a function on the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) premises on Wednesday.
Mysuru Zone Chairman of National Egg Coordination Committee Satish Babu told The Hi ndu that the eggs will be handed over to the MCC at Town Hall every day from where the civic body has made arrangements for their distribution in different vehicles including autorickshaws. “Over the next 15 to 20 days, we will be distributing eggs worth ₹10 lakh”, he said.
Mr. Babu claimed that the consumption of eggs will help build ‘immunity’ among the pourakarmikas, who toil every day to keep the city clean, and other vulnerable sections including migrant workers and urban poor. The poultry industry comprising egg producers and traders among others had come together to make the contribution, he said.
Though sale of chicken and eggs, which had been prohibited after an outbreak of bird flu last month, had resumed in the city, the poultry industry is yet to recover from hard times it faced. Chicken shops have been allowed to open for only three days a week for a restricted time duration.
But, Mr. Babu said there is not enough supply of chicken. “The condition of the poultry industry is so bad that production had been stopped after people began shunning chicken and eggs due to a misinformation campaign. The bird flu added to our woes”, he said.
A lot of poultry farmers had lost their birds due to various reasons including short supply of feed and barely 10 to 20 per cent of the regular supply is available now. As it takes about two months from the time of laying of the egg to a bird reaching its full size, the supply of broiler chicken is yet to pick up, he said.
However, a large number of poultry farmers are circumspect about resuming production on a regular scale in view of the extension of the lockdown and the possibility of a further extension. It may take a long for the poultry industry to recover.
However, he said eggs sector or layers in the poultry had not been as badly hit as the broiler industry. The wholesale price of an egg stood at ₹4.25 per egg in Mysuru on Wednesday, he added.
