Poultry traders across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have announced an indefinite suspension of broiler chicken sales from July 31, protesting against alleged violations in poultry feeding practices.
Strike Announcement and Background
The Tamil Nadu Poultry Traders Federation took the decision during an emergency meeting held on July 27. The traders claim that poultry producers feed chickens until the final moment before dispatch to increase their weight artificially.
According to the federation, this results in consumers paying for undigested feed and water retained inside the birds, while also creating hygiene issues during slaughter and cleaning.
The proposed strike is expected to affect around 60,000 to 1 lakh poultry retail shops across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, potentially disrupting chicken supplies to restaurants, hotels, and households. Poultry traders' associations in Kerala have also extended support to the protest.
Traders' Grievances
Weight Manipulation Allegations
Federation president B. Durairaj alleged that poultry farmers have repeatedly failed to follow feed control practices despite earlier agreements.
Traders claimed that birds are often fed in bulk until they are loaded onto transport vehicles, adding around 100 to 200 grams of extra weight due to undigested feed and water.
Financial Impact on the Supply Chain
Traders stated that this additional weight increases costs throughout the supply chain. While producers may spend only ₹3 to ₹4 on the extra feed, traders claim they are charged around ₹10 to ₹12 for the same weight, with further costs added through transportation and handling. These expenses are eventually passed on to consumers.
Food Safety Concerns
Apart from financial concerns, traders also highlighted food safety issues. They said excessive feeding can leave undigested material inside the birds and create contamination risks during cleaning. Transportation-related waste also increases cleaning expenses for retailers, which adds to operational costs.
Demands and Government Guidelines
Government guidelines require broiler chickens to be withheld from feed for 8-12 hours before slaughter, but traders allege that the rule is rarely followed.
The federation has demanded that producers stop feeding birds for at least 15 hours before dispatch and has requested intervention from the Tamil Nadu government and the Animal Husbandry Department.
Scope and Impact of the Indefinite Strike
The strike will continue indefinitely until a resolution is reached between poultry producers and traders. The federation has not announced a specific date for ending the shutdown.
A final decision on poultry shop closures in Chennai will be taken after further discussions, with traders warning of a major impact as the city consumes around 1.24 crore kilograms of chicken daily.
Government Response
Tamil Nadu Animal Husbandry Department Secretary Anu George said the matter is related to a commercial dispute between producers and traders. The department, however, will help facilitate discussions between both sides to find an early solution.
With thousands of poultry shops expected to remain closed from July 31, consumers and businesses are now waiting to see whether negotiations can prevent a prolonged disruption in chicken supply. Will the government's intervention be enough to resolve the dispute before the indefinite strike affects daily consumers?
