NEW DELHI: Fearing a decline in prices of egg and chicken, the poultry industry is closely watching the fallout of outbreak of bird flu in Assam.
“The industry was trying to locate buyers, negotiating deals after the country was declared free of bird flu on November 4. But on November 27, the government admitted to the incident (occurrence of bird flu).... It came as a jolt for the industry,” a le ading exporter said.
Cases of bird flu have been reported from at least nine districts in Assam where over 1.5 lakh birds have already been culled so far.
That apart, West Bengal's Cooch Behar district has sounded an alert and Meghalaya has banned the entry of poultry and its products from Assam and Bangladesh.
When asked if domestic prices of eggs and broiler would be affected, the exporter said it all depends on the market sentiment and effective control of the incident by restricting the outbreak of the disease to Assam only.
Exports of poultry products have been stopped ever since the bird flu was reported in July 2007, industry experts said.
They pointed out that after the appearance of the Avian Influenza virus in Manipur in July last year, the country declared itself free from the disease on November 7, 2007, which was notified to the World Organisation for Animal Health in accordance with international obligations.
However, it again re-appeared in January this year in West Bengal, affecting almost the entire state.
The impact of bird flu in West Bengal was very large and it took the Centre almost a year to declare the country free from Bird Flu, they said. - PTI
1 comment:
What I do not understand is why the source is not being identified? The govt can go on culling birds but what is the point if you do not find out the source and attack it. Otherwise, it will keep coming back.
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