Poultry farmers upset over move to levy taxes

Y. Maheswara Reddy | NT

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Poultry Farmers and Breeders Association (KPFBA) and the National Egg Coordination Committee have raised several objections to the draft Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (gram panchayat’s tax, rate and fees) Rules, 2021.

They said that poultry farms cannot be included in Agricultural Based Manufacturing Units as it would cripple the poultry sector in the state.

In the letter submitted, the KPFBA President, Dr B. Sushanth Rai has raised objections to the draft rules published by RDPR on 29-12- 2021. “From perusal of the definition clause at Rule 2(3) it is seen that, Poultry Farm, has been included under the definition of Buildings used for Agricultural Based Manufacturing Units. Upon defining the Poultry Farm as Agricultural Based Manufacturing Unit, it has been made accessible to Taxes under Chapter III, Rule 15(4),” said KPFBA president B Sushanth Rai.

He said that poultry farming has not been defined under the Karnataka Grama Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Act 1993. “Poultry Farming is defined under the Karnataka Land Reforms Act i.e., under Section 2(1)(d) of the said Act,” he said.

As per the Land Reforms Act, agriculture includes aquaculture; horticulture; dairy farming; poultry farming; breeding of livestock; and grazing.

“Including poultry farms under the definition of Agricultural Based Manufacturing Unit in the proposed Rules would be contrary to established law. The Karnataka Land Revenue Act does not mandate conversion of the lands where poultry farms are constructed as poultry farming itself is agriculture and poultry farms are mostly on agricultural lands,’’ he said.

The KPFBA, in a memorandum submitted to Minister of Animal Husbandry Prabhu B Chauhan, stated that poultry farming is not a commercial activity, but an agricultural activity, much like other periodical agricultural activities.

“Poultry farming is not a manufacturing process where some agricultural raw materials are used, processed and a new product is manufactured. It is an agricultural activity much like sericulture where silkworms are cultivated to produce silk,’’ it said.

The KPFBA has stated that to raise a batch of chicks into consumable chickens, it takes about 35 to 40 days. Thereafter to rear the next batch there must be a gap of about one and a half months.” In a year, a farmer can rear chicks in five batches, maximum,’’ it said.

Expressing concern over the lack of government’s support to poultry farms in Karnataka, Inayath Ulla Khan, Executive Secretary, Karnataka Poultry Farms and Breeders Association has said that many poultry farmers are contemplating to migrate to neighboring states. “It will affect the livelihoods of lakhs of people working at poultry farms across the state. Soya bean farmers will also be affected if the poultry farmers migrate to neighbouring states. I hope the minister for animal husbandry and officials will do the needful for the benefit of poultry farmers in Karnataka,’’ he said.