The Kerala Poultry Farmers’ Association (KPFA) has expressed solidarity with Tamil Nadu counterparts who are on strike demanding revision of rearing rates.
“Arrest of Easan Murugasamy (Founder of Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Protection Association) and other leaders (for leading the strike) is not fair,’ KFPA functionaries said in a statement.
Demanding the release of Mr. Murugasamy and others, KPFA president Baiju Kadavan and secretary Sadiq Ali said the poultry farmers in Kerala would also join the strike if they are not released.
The KPFA contended that Mr. Murugasamy was arrested on false charges, and charged the Tamil Nadu Government with supporting the interests of corporate lobbies.
Mr. Murugasamy who was arrested with others 10 days back on the charge of obstructing broiler companies from supplying chicks to the poultry farms, was, on Friday, produced before the Udumalpet Court.
Poultry farmers have been carrying out hunger strike at Avinashipalayam demanding the release of all those who had been arrested under “false charges”.
They contended that the arrests of Mr. Murugasamy and others were meant to prevent their participation in the tripartite meeting conducted by the Government on Thursday.
Demand-supply mismatch caused by the strike by poultry farmers has reflected in the cost of broiler chicken getting beyond ₹300 per kg.
The refrain of the Animal Husbandry Department is that the poultry farmers are undertaking contract farming on commercial basis on the platform of mutual trust, and agreement on the rates, quality, and timings of delivery. The agreement between them do not come under the purview of the department. It could be resolved only under the Indian Contracts Act 1872. Hence, there was no scope to hold the tripartite meeting, according to the department.
In a separate communication to officials, the Department has stated that the State-level Working Group will study the suggestions of the District Livestock Resource Committees and Block-Level Livestock Resource Committees and other stake-holders to decide on the measures to be taken for making livestock rearing more profitable.
Officials at the district level have been instructed to compile data encompassing number of poultry farms, size of the poultry farmers, input requirements, costs incurred, scope for scaling up operations, and the problems being faced by the poultry farmers.
Published – January 24, 2026 12:38 am IST
