VIJAYAWADA: Sudden spike in the number of Covid-19 cases has affected the rooster sale in Krishna and East Godavari districts. While preparations for cockfights are in full swing ahead of Sankranti, the sale of trained roosters slowed down in Krishna and West Godavari districts.
‘Assel’ breed roosters trained in Krishna district are usually in high demand during Sankranti season. Rooster farms in green mango gardens located in Nuzividu area used to be crowded with buyers including ministers and film stars selecting roosters for cockfights. Despite the Covid-19 outbreak, many buyers from Karnataka, Telangana and Tamil Nadu came to the local farms and bought roosters in 2021. The price of ‘nemali kaki’ variety rooster touched a record price of 3.2 lakh at a farm in Adavinekkalam that year.
Breeders expected a better price this year as the Covid-19 situation was under control till the second week of December last and they trained a huge number of roosters. But the increasing number of Omicron cases is affecting the sales.
“Sale of roosters usually gets over three days before Sankranti festival. But the situation is quite different this year. Only 20 per cent of trained roosters have been sold to date and the buyers from Telanaga reduced drastically,” said M Ranga Rao who runs a rooster farm at Mylavaram area.
Stringent action initiated by the Krishna district authorities and Vijaywada police against cockfights is also an important reason for the sudden fall in the sale of roosters. Krishna district police identified around 128 places where cockfight arenas were set up in the past and also closed down units that manufactured knives used in cock fights. Police on Tuesday booked cases against 18 people who indulged in cockfights and seized stake money to the tune of 42,000, seven roosters and vehicles from their possession at Mylavaram and Kanchikacherla. However, rooster breeders estimate that the sales will pick up during festival days and hope police will permit cockfights without knives.
