Poultry trade hit by bird culling, drop in retail sales of chicken, eggs
By TIOL News Service
NEW DELHI, FEB 13, 2021: FOURTEEN States and Union Territories (UTs) were affected by the outbreak of bird flu, delivering a double punch for the poultry industry which faced losses from the culling and death of birds as well as falling retail sales due to fear of the disease the Parliament was informed on Friday.
Although wild birds were worst affected by Avian Influenza, Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Mr Sanjeev Kumar Balyan told the Rajya Sabha that there has been a "substantial loss" to the poultry industry.
Bird flu has been confirmed in poultry birds in 14 States and UTs, with Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab and Kerala among the worst hit.
"A total of 4,49,271 birds have been culled so far due to bird flu in the country during the recent bird flu outbreak, but no information regarding the quantum of losses to the poultry farm industry has been received from States/UTs," he said.
The Department, under Assistance to States for Control of Animal Disease (ASCAD) component of the Livestock Health and Disease Control (LH&DC) scheme, has supplemented their efforts to contain the infection.
It has provided financial assistance, on a 50-50 sharing basis based on extant rates, to the States and UTs. The compensation is paid to poultry farmers whose poultry birds, eggs and poultry feed are culled and destroyed to prevent, control and contain bird flu, he said.
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