Even after the poultry ban was lifted from Assam, this state continues to suffer. The farmers involved with poultry farming in this state have been rattled due to illegal extortions at the border.
The poultry farming industry was thriving in this state before a ban on poultry products was declared in Assam due to avian influenza. The state suffered a huge loss due to the ban and continues to do so even after the curbs have been lifted.
West Bengal is primarily an agricultural state. From agricultural produce to fish and poultry, West Bengal depends on the farmers for its economy. However, the poultry industry in Bengal continues to suffer even after the ban in Assam was lifted.
North Bengal is known for its tea and poultry. The poultry industry in the region has been suffering due to the ban for four months. According to experts and veterans in the field, the poultry industry has suffered a loss of more than Rs 900 crore.
An article published on Village Square mentions the following:
“The veterans in the trade estimate that the poultry industry in northern Bengal has suffered colossal losses, amounting to Rs 900 crore over the past four months. The source of this calamity lies in the neighbouring state of Assam, which abruptly banned in March the import of poultry and eggs, citing the outbreak of avian influenza (H5N1) in Bihar and Jharkhand.
A large and lucrative market became off-limits because Assam is also the gateway to other northeastern states. The ban lasted till the first week of June, but its repercussions continue to be felt.”
While it is true that the ban was eventually lifted, the poultry farmers of rural India continue to face various challenges, chief among them, illegal extortion. The governments of West Bengal and Assam have taken several measures to combat illegal extortions; they have not been completely successful. The goons involved in illegal extortion keep changing their modus operandi, making it difficult for border police to identify them.
The Village Square article mentions:
“Although the ban was eventually lifted, the situation has not returned to normal. Farmers also had to grapple with an illegal extortion racket at the Bengal-Assam border.”
“As a result, the number of vehicles making the journey plummeted from about 100 to a mere 8-10 daily. The farmers found themselves trapped between the struggle to comply with complex regulations and the claws of extortionists at the border.
Despite these hardships, the farming community has been relentless in their efforts to bring the matter to the attention of the authorities. Officials in Assam dismissed allegations of extortion as false,” the article further reads.
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