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To sell chicken for high price, poultry traders cross TN border

  • Traders in Kerala have downed shutters, saying they cannot sell chicken at Rs 87 per kg set by the government
  • Several loads of poultry crossed the border from Palakkad as traders looked to sell them at a high price in TN
  • Several eateries, especially hotels, did not have popular chicken items on their menus on Monday
  • Kerala finance minister Thomas Isaac said there was no going back on the rate fixed by the government
poultry traders strike govt price chicken tamil nadu gst effect

Poultry traders in Kerala shifted several truckloads of chicken from Palakkad to neighbouring towns in Tamil Nadu on Sunday night in view of their indefinite strike from Monday. 

The traders have downed shutters, saying they cannot sell chicken at Rs 87 per kg set by the Kerala government. Several loads of poultry crossed the border from Palakkad on Sunday night as traders looked to sell them at a high price in Coimbatore, Pollachi and other places in Tamil Nadu.

However, Kerala finance minister Thomas Isaac on Monday said there was no going back on the rate fixed by the government. Earlier the VAT on chicken was 14.5 per cent and with GST coming into force, it is zero tax. 

Chicken strike: Trader threatened for selling at ₹87/kg

"It is unfortunate that traders do not want to pass on the GST benefit to consumers and instead are prepared to face even losses by transporting poultry back to Tamil Nadu," Isaac said. 

Traders are protesting against the government's decision to bring down the poultry  prices after the GST came into force. While the government is insisting on Rs 87 a kg for live chicken, the traders have said they cannot sell at that rate as they would have to incur huge losses. 

GST impact: No chicken sale in Kerala from Monday

Several eateries, especially hotels, did not have popular chicken items on their menus on Monday. 

The 23 outlets of the state-owned Kerala State Poultry Development Corporation (KEPCO) in the state capital witnessed a heavy rush since Monday morning with people from far off places coming to purchase broiler chicken

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