Industry sees threat passingSurinder Sud / New Delhi February 20, 2006The emergence of the dreaded avian influenza (bird flu) among poultry birds in the Nandurbar district of Maharashtra may cause a major set-back to this fastest growing agro-industry but the threat may be only temporary, the industry feels.In the shorter run, the production and consumption of poultry products are projected to drop and the prospects of capturing more export markets jeopardised. But nobody is yet willing to hazard a precise estimate of a possible loss to the poultry sector which last year churned out products worth Rs 30,000 crore.In January-February 2004, poultry farmers had suffered a loss of over Rs 1,100 crore due to unfounded fear of bird flu. The loss to the entire poultry sector, including supportive services, was estimated at over Rs 3,000 crore.
