The feed was around Rs30-35 per kg in March & has now risen to Rs45-50 per kgHigh prices of soyabean de-oiled cake worries local poultry farmers

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, October 11

The sharp rise in the prices of soyabean de-oiled cake (DOC), a byproduct of soyabean oil, has greatly affected local poultry farmers.

The rates of poultry feed, which were around Rs30-35 per kg in March, have risen to Rs45-50 per kg. The reason is the prices of soya de-oiled cake have increased from Rs35 per kg in March to nearly Rs100 per kg.

Local poultry farmers rear between 3 lakh and 4 lakh birds making the district self-sufficient in fulfilling its demand of poultry products. After oil extraction, de-oiled cake, which is rich in protein, is sold out to poultry farmers for meeting the protein needs of chicks and broilers. The soya de-oiled cake forms 25 per cent of the feed.

Amrinder Singh, a young poultry farmer, said soya cake was the primary source of protein for birds. The sharp rise in the prices of poultry feed was catastrophic for farmers as the rates of broilers were down in the market due to very low demand due to the occurrence of the Navratras. This dealt a double blow to farmers as a kilogram of broiler was selling between Rs 85 and Rs 90, which used to be around Rs 105 per kg before the start of the Navratras.

Sukhwinder Singh, another poultry farmer, says a chick during its lifespan consumes around 2.5 kg of feed costing around Rs 125 kg these days. Besides costs on

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