Cattle and poultry feed makers have demanded that the government should supply them soyameal at reasonable rates to keep prices of milk and eggs under check.
CLFMA, which is the apex industry body of feed makers, has sent a letter to the Centre's Department of Animal Husbandry about 15 days back for regulating soyameal prices that have doubled in last one year.
"Unless government does not ensure supply (of soyameal) at a reasonable rate, there may be 5-10 per cent decline in feed production, which will impact both output and prices of milk and eggs," CLFMA Chairman C Vasantkumar said.
He said feed prices have gone up by Rs 2-3 per kg last year, which is very high considering the farmers' income in the dairy and poultry sector.
Currently, cattle and poultry feed are available in the range of Rs 10-14 per kg as against Rs 7-10 a kg last year.
Vasantkumar said feed prices have not increased as much as the rates of soyameal, which is an important raw material in manufacturing of both cattle and poultry feed because of protein content.
Soyameal prices have touched Rs 18 a kg compared to Rs 8-9 a year ago, mainly because of higher export, Delhi-based feed manufacturer Ram Niwas Mangla said.
The feed manufacturers blame higher export for the rise in soyameal prices. However, soyabean processors said there is no problem in domestic availability and only the surplus quantities are being exported.
