Delayed transportation of chicken feeds triggered by the spat of economic blockade along National Highway 37 (Imphal-Dimapur road) has driven chicken farmers from various communities in Manipur into tight corners.
The trucks laden with chicken feed had been left stranded since the beginning of the economic blockade since early October this month.
In order to assess the growing unrest among chicken farmers, a media team along with representatives of Manipur Poultry Development Association (MPDA) visited several chicken farms at Nungang Village in Kangpokpi district and Toubul Village in Bishnupur district on Friday.
During the visit, the team found that several small chickens had started to resort to cannibalism as the farmers are unable to provide ample feed to sustain them.
Speaking to the media, 61-year-old chicken farmer James Gangmei maintained that struggle and hard challenges were part and parcel in his nearly 20 year career as a birdstock farmer in Manipur. “But we have not come across such a difficult phase as the present,” he added.
He stated that the chicken had not properly ovulated since mid October due to lack of chicken feeds.
“Our birdstock has drastically reduced in numbers due to the widespread shortage in chicken feed. They cannot live only on water and they are starting to indulge in cannibalism,” he said.
He noted that ORS and few morsels of rice was the present sustaining diet for the chickens, which is utterly impractical to sustain the birdstock.
He further urged state authorities to resolve the plights of the farmers before further problems arose.
Meanwhile, 32-year-old Thoudam Priyobarta in Toubul stated that as many as 50-100 chickens were falling either sick or dead daily.
Priyobarta had inherited the chicken farm from his parents, who were chicken farmers for nearly 30 years before handing over the trade to him. Priyobarta has been a chicken farmer for nearly two years.
He highlighted that the shortage in chicken feeds had led him to substitute with vegetables and others.
“The spike in prices of chicken feeds from Rs 2,300 per bag to Rs 3,500 is also one of the reasons for the shortage as the farmers are unable to procure them consistently,” he said.
Meanwhile, MPDA general secretary Chongthan Dhrubatara stated that the issue had seriously impeded the farmers and their growth.
“Only a person associated with this trade will understand the pain of losing birdstock,” he added.
He recalled that most farmers were unable to stock the chicken feeds due to prior blockades along the highway in Nagaland.
The continuation of the blockade in Manipur by Naga bodies boxed the birdstock farmers into tight corners, he said.
As such, he appealed to authorities concerned to address the issue swiftly and roll back the plights of the farmers.
