Following the removal of quantitative restrictions in the post-WTO regime the poultry farmers in Andhra Pradesh are aprehensive that the tariff rates are lowered. The price of all other imported poultry products are lower than the domestic rates., except in case of table eggs .If large-scale import of poultry products is allowed, the local shops may have to be closed. Currently the price of an imported egg stood at Rs 2.84, chicken at Rs 66.69 per kg,chicken legs Rs 34.86 per kg and boneless meat at Rs 102.69 per kg. As against this, the retail price in the domestic market of an egg today was Rs 2,chicken around Rs 65, chicken legs Rs 90 and boneless meat Rs 140 per kg. The poultry industry has an estimated capital investment of about Rs 10,000 crores It contributes more than 11,000 crores to the gross national product and employs over 1.6 million people, mostly in the rural areas. It is stated to be the fastest growing segment of our agricultural economy. The bound rate of import duty on poultry products were up to 150 per cent. Currently the effective rate of import duty on eggs was 40 per cent ,eggs products 62.8 per cent, chicken meat 19.6 per cent and processed chicken products 57.2 per cent. |
|