Permit to import chicken legs from US may hit poultry industry

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao today alleged that some traders are trying to get permissions to import chicken legs from USA, which may endanger the Indian poultry industry.

"Some businessmen are lobbying to get permissions to import chicken legs from the US to India. If they get them, it will have an adverse effect on the Indian poultry industry," Rao said at the two-day 8th Annual Poultry Exhibition, which began here today.

Poultry is one of the biggest industries in India. If they (USA) want, we can export from here. I heard that they consume only wing portion of the chicken. We are ready to export wings to USA from India, he said. 

"I request the Centre's intervention in this regard (for according industry status to poultry sector)," he added. The CM said that the Telangana government has accorded agricultural industry status to poultry units and requested for a similar measure from the Centre.

Minister of State for Agriculture Sanjeev Kumar Balyan was among who spoke during the inaugural session of the event.