Bird flu in Nepal hits Indian poultry business
Debasis Sarkar SILIGURI: The bird flu menace in Nepal has once again hit the poultry and poultry products industry of the border districts in India.
By Debasis Sarkar, ET Bureau |
SILIGURI: The bird flu menace in Nepal has once again hit the poultry and poultry products industry of the border districts in India. The Nepal government and a large section of its poultry industry have officially denied media reports on the widespread outbreak of H5N1 infection in Nepal.
But the government has indeed accepted presence of the disease in Jhapa district of eastern Nepal. A senior member of National Poultry Farmers Association (NPFA), Nepal, said: ���The market has already gone down by over 40%, causing a daily loss of over NPR 5 million (Rs 35 lakh).
���We are concerned with the developments in Nepal. Indian traders of poultry as well as poultry products, especially in the international borderadjoining places, are largely dependent on sales in Nepal,��� said SA Khan, secretary, Poultry Federation of India.
According to NPFA statistics, about Rs 1,150 crore has been invested in the Nepal poultry industry and nearly 150,000 kg of poultry is produced every day. Over 60% of feed and chicks required for this production comes to Nepal from Indian manufacturers and hatcheries. This trade is now in disarray. In addition, a huge volume of Nepal poultry production comes to border markets of India, especially those adjoining eastern Nepal. As the outbreak has originated in eastern Nepal, Indian buyers have stopped buying from farmers there.
However, the Nepal government has already started taking preventive measures, including culling, mopping and vaccination. On the other side, Nepal poultry entrepreneurs have placed a seven-point demand, including that of compensation and other rehabilitation schemes for the troubled industry.
But the government has indeed accepted presence of the disease in Jhapa district of eastern Nepal. A senior member of National Poultry Farmers Association (NPFA), Nepal, said: ���The market has already gone down by over 40%, causing a daily loss of over NPR 5 million (Rs 35 lakh).
���We are concerned with the developments in Nepal. Indian traders of poultry as well as poultry products, especially in the international borderadjoining places, are largely dependent on sales in Nepal,��� said SA Khan, secretary, Poultry Federation of India.
According to NPFA statistics, about Rs 1,150 crore has been invested in the Nepal poultry industry and nearly 150,000 kg of poultry is produced every day. Over 60% of feed and chicks required for this production comes to Nepal from Indian manufacturers and hatcheries. This trade is now in disarray. In addition, a huge volume of Nepal poultry production comes to border markets of India, especially those adjoining eastern Nepal. As the outbreak has originated in eastern Nepal, Indian buyers have stopped buying from farmers there.
However, the Nepal government has already started taking preventive measures, including culling, mopping and vaccination. On the other side, Nepal poultry entrepreneurs have placed a seven-point demand, including that of compensation and other rehabilitation schemes for the troubled industry.
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