New Delhi, Feb 22 (UNI) Ahead of the United States President Donald Trump's visit to India in the coming week, Poultry Federation of India, a poultry farmers' association on Saturday demanded the Centre to save small poultry farmers in the country by 'restricting' subsidised chicken from Large American Companies.

The federation in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged him to protect the livelihood of about 2 crore farmers dependent on the poultry sector worth Rs 1,00,000 crore.

"With import of poultry products, you will destroy the livelihood of millions of small farmers in India. Our request is, please do not come under pressure of US Government because they are keen to increase the profits of large American Poultry Companies at the cost of livelihood of millions of small India Farmers of India," the letter read.

"The poultry farming community has never garnered any support from the government including subsidy, insurance, technologies to reduce feed cost among other things," it read.

"In place of supporting poultry farmers, Modi government is planning to open the poultry sector to subsidised products of large American poultry industry at low import duty rate as demanded by US Government without a thought to the condition of Indian farmers," the letter read.

During President Trump's visit on February 24-25, it is widely expected that India and the US would sign a limited trade deal.



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