The frequent changes in the price of chicken have often put the State in a tight spot as Kerala accounts for 11% of the national poultry meat consumption. Though the State government has made many interventions to strengthen the domestic broiler sector to insulate consumers and producers from fluctuating prices, the initiatives have not yet paid off.
According to the statistics available with the Animal Husbandry department, of the 5.04 lakh tonnes of poultry meat sold in the State a year, the contribution of government agencies is around 2% to 2.5% only. When Kerala Chicken was launched, the State was targeting a market share of 5% in the first year and 15-20% in the next two years enabling it to regulate the price of meat in the market.
However, three years since, the market is still controlled by private players. The Brahmagiri Development Society, KEPCO (Kerala State Poultry Development Corporation), Kudumbashree, and the Meat Products of India (MPI) are the main public sector agencies that produce day-old broiler chicks in the State.
Kerala requires around 310 lakh chicks per month, while the government agencies produce just three lakh a month.
V. Sunilkumar, former managing director of KEPCO, says as long as the State has no say in the production and supply of poultry feeds and one-day-old chicks — two main components that constitute 80% of the cost of production of a broiler bird — the State will have to depend on private players to meet requirements.
In the absence of effective market interventions, producers are dependent on corporates who decide the cost of both chicks and feed. To have a sustainable broiler sector, the State should enhance domestic production of chicks and feeds, say experts.
Pointing out the necessity of controlling the cost of the basic inputs, they say an agency with own chick and feed production can produce one kilo of live poultry meat at ₹82.45, while those without control over the two basic inputs will have to spend ₹97.10 at present.
As the per capita consumption of poultry meat in the State is 15.5 kg against 3.4 kg in the country, a sustainable broiler sector is imperative in the State, they say.
