Aggressive Ad and awareness campaign can save poultry in Corona:Tarun Shridhar 

Pashu Sandesh,10 August 2020

Corona has affected every facet of life and business adversely and Poultry industry is also facing the heat. The challenge lies in the sustenance and the growth of the industry in the "new normal" COVID era. "Aggressive Ad and awareness campaign can save Indian Poultry Industry in Carona era (new normal)" says Tarun Shridhar ex-secretary ministry of fisheries and animal husbandry GOI. He said this while speaking in a webinar organized by the Department of Poultry Science, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Veterinary University (DUVASU) Mathura on “Atmnirbhar Indian Poultry in new normal". He also said that since the beginning of 2020 rumours have more harmed the poultry industry then the coronavirus because rumours spread faster than the virus.

Highlighting the role of poultry industry Shridhar said, worldwide poultry emerged as a primary and preferred source of animal protein. Out of total 30 billion farm animals, 23 billion are poultry birds which are 70 per cent of the total. In India poultry is growing at a rate of more than 9 per cent which is higher than the growth rate of dairy 6.5% and fisheries 7%.

During his speech, Shridhar put forward the following points which need to be addressed by the Indian poultry industry.

• Wet market - During the corona epidemic, there is a generalized sentiment against the wet market. Governments of many countries are working in the direction to abolish wet market. At present in India, the share of the wet market is about 94 per cent. In India also now people want safe and hygienic chicken, there is a strong demand for chilled and frozen chicken from the middle class but we are lacking a supply chain to serve this segment of customers. The industry should work in this direction to discourage the wet market.
• Zoonotic diseases – Two-third of human diseases are of animal origin (zoonotic). Fear of disease affects food habits. 
• Farming Practices – Farming practices to produce safe food to be geared up towards food safety and nutritious value.
• Organic Chicken – people are demanding organic food. Our backyard poultry can cater to this demand. The veterinary universities should come up as certification agencies for organic chicken.
• Advertisement – It is to be communicated to the general public that, the poultry products are safe and nutritious. For this mass media campaigns must be launched.        

Apart from Tarun Shridhar other eminent speakers from the Poultry sector participating in the webinar include Suresh Chitturi Chairman International egg commission and Dr P S Mahesh Director CPDO & TI Bengaluru. The Coordinator for the webinar is Dr Amitav Bahttacharya Assistant Professor Department of Poultry Science DUVASU. Prof G K Singh Vice-Chancellor DUVASU and Prof P K Shukla Dean PGS and Registrar DUVASU have extended greetings for the success of the webinar.