Fresh bird flu outbreak in N-E to hit poultry exports

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Surinder Sud / New Delhi
December 01, 2008, 22:49 IST
Fresh outbreak of the dreaded bird flu disease of poultry at Hajo in Kamrup (Rural) district of Assam is expected to hit export of poultry products though it may not have much impact on the domestic market, feel poultry experts.
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The Assam government has confirmed the epidemic of the most hazardous H5N1 virus of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (bird flu) at Hajo, about 45 km from Guwahati, on Friday last and has started culling operations to destroy all poultry birds in and around that area.
The action came after the unnatural death of over 300 birds in that area and the confirmation of the presence of the H5N1 influenza virus in the dead birds by the Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL).
This is the fifth major outbreak of this fatal poultry disease in the country since February 2006. The 4 previous epidemics had collectively caused a colossal economic loss, estimated by the poultry industry circles at around Rs 10,000 crore, in terms of loss of production and destruction of poultry birds in areas surrounding the disease epicentres. The organised poultry industry is currently reckoned to be worth over Rs 30,000 crore.
The first outbreak was in Navapur in Maharashtra in February 2006; the second again in Jalgaon, Maharashtra and Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh in March-April 2006; the third in Chingmeirong (East Imphal district) in Manipur in July 2007; and the fourth in 15 districts of West Bengal and 2 districts of Tripura in May 2008.
Following the successfully containment of the disease in West Bengal, India had formally declared itself bird flu-free country only on November 4. The latest epidemic has occurred just over 3 weeks after this declaration.
A well known poultry expert and India representative of the US Grains Council, Amit Sachdev, told Business Standard that the recurrence of the H5N1 bird flu disease might dash the poultry industry’s hopes of resuming export of poultry products to major destinations in West Asia.
Bhutan, which had lifted the ban on poultry imports from India, notably from the bordering northeastern region, following the declaration of bird flu-free status, was expected to retract the move. The other importers were also likely to stop sourcing their supplies of poultry products from India. The Indian poultry exports have, in any case, been in the doldrums, in the past couple of years due to repeated resurgence of bird flu.
However, Sachdev does not expect fresh disease eruption in Assam to make much difference to the consumption and sale of chicken meat and eggs in the domestic market outside the affected area. Most consumers have realised that well washed and properly cooked poultry products are safe to consume.
According to veterinarians, the H5N1 influenza virus, even if passed on from birds to human beings, does not get transmitted from one person to another unless it gets mutated into another form that is communicable among the human beings. However, in other countries, where the disease epidemics have been relatively more severe and longer lasting, several human beings have died on getting infected with this virus.
The poultry analysts are, however, not surprised at the recurrence of the disease in India and fear that sporadic incidence of bird flu may keep surfacing as the H5N1 viral infection continues to occur in the countries around India. The northeastern region is deemed relatively more vulnerable as Bangladesh, in particular, has been unable to uproot the H5N1 virus in its territory. The movement of birds across the borders cannot be checked.
Some other Intensive poultry producing regions, especially in the states like Punjab and Uttar Pradesh bordering Pakistan and Nepal, respectively, are also vulnerable to this menace as this infection is believed to be present in these countries as well.
Sachdev said joint initiatives between India and neighboring countries were essential to curb the bird flu menace. The neighbouring countries needed to evolve joint-strategies for keeping a vigil on the infection and undertaking bio-safety measures to ward off the build up of the virus.
According to Union animal husbandry department sources, an effective system has been put in place for the prevention and control of avian influenza. Reserves of material needed for the disease control operations have been developed and are gradually been expanded further.
An avian influenza vaccine bank has been created with a capacity of 45 million doses. Besides, the Bhopal diagnostic laboratory has been stocked with required reagents, some of which are now being produced indigenously, these sources maintain.