|
Venkateshwara
Hatcheries to set up retail chain
Our
Bureau
Pune, Oct 3: In a bid to regulate
prices of broiler chicken and break the stranglehold of traders
over the business, the Venkateshwara Hatcheries Group is spearheading
a big retail push in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. The Group
will on its own set up a chain of 20 retail outlets in Pune
and 10 in Hyderabad as part of this initiative. In addition,
poultry farmers themselves will be getting together to set
up 50 outlets in Andhra Pradesh.
| Turkey pricing
raises eyebrows |
First it was chicken legs from the US,
now its is turkey from France that is threatening to displace
fresh Indian chicken. But then this time the turkey is
suspect, says Venkateshwara Hatcheries chairperson, Anuradha
Desai.
A consignment of turkey, imported by Darshan Foods of
Delhi, has arrived at the Mumbai Port. Ms Desai said,
while turkey is worth around Rs 500 to 600 per kg in the
international market, this turkey is slated to be sold
at around Rs 60 in the Indian retail market inclusive
of freight and a 35 per cent duty. “It is a mystery how
this pricing has been achieved and makes this consignment
suspect,” Ms Desai said.
Processed chicken attracts 100 per cent duty. “We have
raised the issue with the agriculture ministry and want
it to look into the matter,” Ms Desai said.
Last time, intervention from Sharad Pawar had stalled
the entry of chicken legs. On testing, those chicken legs
was found to be of inferior quality and the consignment
returned, Ms Desai said. |
This project is similar to the National
Egg Coordination Committee, which standardised egg prices.
Ms Anuradha Desai, chairperson of the VH Group said the poultry
farmers were hit by low level farmgate prices, while traders
were piling up 100 to 200 per cent margins in the wholesale
and retail segment. “The farmer’s survival is at stake and
this move will help them in getting better prices, while consumers
too will benefit by getting chicken at almost 35 to 40 per
cent lower than the existing cost,” Ms Desai said. The drop
in prices will come into effect from November 2001.
Ms Desai said these Bromark outlets will prominently display
the day’s price which will also be advertised on a daily basis
in local newspapers.
Initially the retail outlet will come up in Pune, Mumbai and
Nasik after which it is hoped that poultry farmers across
the country would take up similar initiatives.
Rates are likely to be under pressure and Ms Desai expects
stiff resistance from the traders to this move but said the
industry had no option as their survival was at stake.
|
