KATHMANDU: Poultry farmers and business owners in Rautahat are facing severe financial losses due to the illegal import of broiler chickens from India, which is facilitated by the open border.
According to the District Poultry Farmers Association, large quantities of Indian chickens are being brought into Nepal daily through border points including Rampurkhap, Bankul, Narkatiya, Khapghiura, and Matsari.
Farmers claim that these illegally imported chickens are being kept in border-area farms and then sold in the market under fake invoices as domestic products. Radheshyam Sah, secretary of the District Poultry Farmers Association, stated that due to the rising costs of feed and medicine, the production cost of chicken in Nepal has reached approximately Rs 260 to Rs 270 per kilogram. Because of the cheaper Indian imports, local farmers are unable to recover their production costs.
Furthermore, there is a high risk of animal diseases spreading because the chickens are brought in without quarantine or health inspections. Despite protests, including submitting memoranda to the District Administration Office and staging sit-ins, the issue remains unresolved, leaving farmers concerned. Sushil KC, a poultry entrepreneur from Chandrapur Municipality-6, has demanded an impartial investigation into the smuggling at the border and strict action against those involved.
Chief District Officer Laxmi Prasad Paudel said that steps will be taken to stop the smuggling as soon as possible after assessing the situation at the border.
