Three Crore (30 million) Poultry Birds
Die Of Influenza in North India

JASPAL SINGH SIDHU / United News Of India (UNI) 30jul03

More than three crore (30 million) birds have died in poultry farms in northern states during may and June due to diseases like Avian Influenza and New Castle Diseases (Ranikhet Diseases) alongwith acute viral infection, the Poultry Federation of India (PFI) has said.

The federation attributes the spread of these diseases to high temperatures during that period particularly on account of global climate change and said the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) had already cautioned against the probability of high temperatures during summer this year.

But, PFI vice president, Shyam Kumar said the animal husbandry department falling under Union agriculture ministry has not assessed the impact on domestic consumers.

The animal husbandry secretary Binoo Sen and joint secretary poultry Neeta Chowdhary, however, maintained that ''the situation was not so serious".

The Rs 10,000 crore poultry industry has urged the government to set up a National Poultry Development Board on the lines of the one existing for the dairy sector.

Exports of poultry and dairy products has fallen by 5.16 per cent in 2002-03 at 70.85 million dollars as against $ 74.70 million dollars in the previous year.

The PFI stressed the need to develop vaccines from the local strains and the industry has written to the drugs controller to give permission.

The market prices of live birds in North India shot up to Rs 50 to 55 per kg but due to the disease afflicting the flocks, the prices of live birds have now come down to Rs 38 to 40 per kg.

On other hand the prices of feed comprising 40 per cent of maize, 20 per cent of soyabean and 20 per cent of amino acids and minerals, has been ranging high at Rs 9 to 10 per kg.