By Our Correspondent, Urlabari (Morang), Apr 3: Poultry farmers of eastern Morang are facing a huge economic loss due to a complete halt of
transportation facility in the country owing to the nationwide lockdown.

The farmers said that they were unable to sell their chicken aged up to 56 days after the lockdown imposed to control the spread of COVID-19.

According to farmers, chickens of broiler species should be sold when they are 30 days to 45 days old forgetting maximum return.

Proprietor of Rojgar Poultry and Feed Suppliers in Urlabari Kapil Gautam said that around 10,000 chickens which were to be sold in eastern Morang had remained unsold in lack of transportation facility.

There are more than 60 dealers in Miklajung, Urlabari, Ratuwamai, Patharisanischare, Letang and Kanepokhari of eastern Morang to supply chicken fowls and feeds to the farmers, he said.

One dealer supplies fowls and feeds to around 25 farmers and individual farmers are growing 200 to 3,000 chicken fowls in their farms, he said.

“Most of the poultry farms are in villages, but the demand is in the city and the farmers have been unable to supply their product to the city area in lack of transportation facility due to lockdown,” Gautam said.

A farmer has to spend around Rs. 100,000 to grow 200 chickens in their farm but they have not been able to sell their products these days, he said.

Poultry farmer Ramesh Giri of Bhoteghumti said that he had 700 chickens ready for sale but was keeping them in farm feeding expensive feeds.

“Last time I have kept 2,500 chickens in my farm. The lockdown started when 700 chickens were left to
sell,” he said.

Chickens need more feeds with the increase of their age but their weight does not increase, he said, adding that he was serving feeds worth Rs. 6,500 every day to maintain them alive.

Another farmer Ramesh Karki of the same place said that he would bear Rs. 2 million loss if he failed to sell his chickens.

“I have to sell 5,000 chickens urgently in the market, but the lockdown has prevented me from taking chickens to market. I fear I will suffer a big loss,” he said.