Avian flu-hit poultry sector seeks relief

The poultry industry has urged the government to come out with a rehabilitation package to save the sector from collapse.

The industry suffered a loss of over Rs 800 crore since the beginning of the bird flu scare in late January, sources said.

The government should set up a fund to compensate poultry farmers for the losses they incurred after the false scare on the disease, they added.

Not a single bird was infected by the disease in India. Sources in the poultry sector said the industry was suffering a net loss of Rs 19-20 crore every day due to drop in consumption of poultry meat and eggs caused by the scare.

The associations representing different stakeholders in the poultry industry have formed a joint action group and drawn up an action plan to tell consumers that Indian poultry products were safe for consumption.

"There is no presence of avian flue in India and hence consumption of chicken meat and eggs does not pose any health hazard to human beings", industry representatives said.

The industry has requested the government to direct banks to defer collection of interest on loans by at least six months. Besides, banks should be instructed to offer fresh loans on soft terms to tide over the crisis.

Industry spokepersons said the government should join the campaign to reassure consumers that poultry products were safe.

Government departments should inform citizens about the bio-safety measures adopted to prevent the entry of the virus into India.

The international bodies concerned, such as the World Health Organisation and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, had already declared eggs and other poultry products were safe.

Small and marginal poultry farmers accounted for nearly 95 per cent of the annual poultry production, estimated at Rs 9500-10000 crore.

If measures were not launched to revive consumption, the livelihood of over 2 million people would be in jeopardy.