Poultry farmers unhappy with the govt’s move to allow import of eggs

Eggs will be imported from India to alleviate the country’s egg scarcity and made available in all 20 dzongkhags at the price of Nu 285-305 per egg tray, depending upon the location of the dzongkhag.

However, the poultry farmers in the country are not happy with the government’s move to allow the import of eggs in the country.

After poultry birds across the country were fed suspected tainted feed in December of last year, egg output has decreased.

A poultry farmer in Haa, Tandin, said that this move will affect the farmers in the country who are relying on the poultry business.

“Our business will be impacted. The price of eggs has risen recently, as a result of the recent occurrence, and vendors are profiting. We sell at a low cost, while the intermediary sells at a high cost. If the government authorizes egg imports, we would lose customers and be unable to repay our loans,” he said.

Kinley, a poultry farmer in Wangdue, said the government’s action is disappointing for farmers around the country.

“The decision has saddened us. Who will purchase our eggs if the government starts to import eggs? We’re going to lose a lot of money. We are aware that most poultry farms around the country have been impacted by the contaminated feeds, resulting in an egg scarcity in the country, however, there are other farmers who have not been impacted, and are still producing eggs. Our problems should be considered by the government as well,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Opposition party expressed displeasure and concerns after learning of the government’s decision to allow the importation of eggs through one of the corporations.

Member of Parliament (Ms) from the Opposition party, Dupthob, remarked that till now the government has been boasting that the country has 100 percent egg self-sufficiency.

He said that when the government takes such steps, private businesses and farmers get discouraged, and interest to produce eggs decreases. “We are afraid that it would obstruct future food self-sufficiency,” he said.

Opposition Leader, Dorji Wangdi, said that it is the legacy of the first government that it has achieved the self-sufficiency in egg production.

“When such a move is made after 13 years, our economy regresses, in terms of self-sufficiency and self-reliance policy. Let us bear it for a while, if it is only a temporary measure, but the government should do all possible to guarantee that we return to egg self-sufficiency. We have accomplished something, and we should endeavor to return to our original state,” he said.

In the meantime, the Agriculture Minister, Yeshey Penjor, said because of the Karma Feeds’ contaminated feeds, the country’s egg industry has failed to produce eggs.

Lyonpo stated that once egg production resumes, the country will no longer import eggs.

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