Local poultry producers agreed to reduce the price of 1 kg of chicken meat by Rs.100 from today (2).
A discussion was held at the Agriculture Ministry yesterday (1) morning, between the Agriculture Minister and local poultry producers, towards protecting the local poultry production industry, while making chicken meat affordable to consumers.
Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera stressed the Government’s intention to protect the industry, as local poultry production had become self sufficient.
If chicken meat is imported, the local industry could collapse completely. Hence, measures to protect the industry was discussed at length at the Cabinet meeting yesterday (31), Accordingly, the President instructed the Agriculture Minister to reach a consensus with the producers, on the price of chicken meat and inform the Cabinet.
The producers said the increase in the price of chicken meat was due to the import tax of Rs. 75 on imported maize, which should be reduced to Rs 25. They agreed to reduce the price of 1 kg of chicken meat by Rs 100.
The Minister said he would submit a proposal to the President to reduce the import tax on imported maize to Rs 25 rupees. The producers also agreed to afford the customer the benefit of any appreciation of the rupee against the dollar.
Currently, chicken meat is are exported to the Maldives and the Middle East on a monthly basis, and chicks are also exported to a number of countries, earning foreign exchange for the country.
Furthermore, the producers were confident that the price of chicken meat could be further reduced from next year. Ministry Secretary Gunadasa Samarasinghe also attended the meeting.
Source – Daily News
