January 2009 in Jhapa
February 2010 in Pokhara and Tanahaun
April 2010 in Nepalgunj, Rupandehi, Dang and Chitwan
December 2011 in Pharping of Kathmandu
December 2011 Manohara of Bhaktapur
February 2012 in Bhainsepati of Lalitpur
October 2012 in Bode of Bhaktapur
December 2012 in Naubishe of Dhading
December 2012 in Ramkot and sitapaila of Kathmandu
January 2013 in Sitapailaof Kathmandu
January 2013 in Pokhara of Kaski
February 2013 in Jitpurfedi, Nayapati, Setidevi and Manamaiju of Kathmandu
KATHMANDU, Feb 18: Prem Manandhar, 32, a poultry farmer, is grappling with uncertainty of what he should do next after all the chickens in his farm, his only source of income, died due to bird flu.
The authority destroyed 2,800 chickens at his farm in Sitapaila, where about 200 had already died due to the disease.
Manandhar, who had started the poultry business four years ago, said he has no other means to support his five-member family.
“I invested all the money I had earned in the Gulf in the farm. But the infection totally ruined my business," he said.
Manandhar said that the chickens at his farms were of 18 weeks with a few just starting to lay eggs. "We spend over Rs 500 per chicken to buy and raise them until they lay eggs, but the government provides only Rs 130 for each chicken it culls," he said.
He complained that the compensation does not even cover the price he pays to hatchery for chicks.
According to Manandhar, he suffered a loss of over Rs 1.5 million in the poultry business. "Instead of saving the profit, I had invested the money back into the business to expand it. Now I neither have any money nor the confidence to continue in this profession," he added.
Moreover, as per the directives of veterinary authority, he cannot grow chickens at the same farm for at least next three months.
Like Manandhar, another poultry farmer Surya Mohan Pokhrel lost all of his 3,000 chickens of 20 weeks at his farm in Sitapaila to the infection.
"I have lost all my property in this business," he complained. Pokhrel had built the farm at a rented space investing more than Rs 500,000. Pokhrel said he will most likely give up the profession for good.
"More farmers will leave the business if the government does not increase compensation. Then, poultry farming, the only business in which the country has become self-reliant, will collapse,” said Narayanhari Khatri, first vice-chairman of Nepal Poultry Federation.
The association claimed that about 30 percent of poultry farmers have been completely displaced from the profession in the last one year alone. According to an estimate, there are over 75,000 people engaged in poultry farms across the country.
Khatri said the government must think seriously about the sustainability of the business in which private sector has invested billions of rupees.
Dr Narayan Prasad Ghimire, spokesperson at the Directorate of Animal Health (DoAH) concedes that a lot of poultry farmers have been giving up the profession after they incurred huge losses. With the growing incidences of bird flu outbreak in the valley, vet officials and technicians who go to cull the chickens are facing intense resistance and threats from poultry farmers.
"It is high time that farmers´ grievances are taken more seriously," he said, adding, "The government must be serious about the health of farmers and the public as well." Ghimire acknowledged that the compensation provided by the government is too less.
The DoAH said that the task of keeping bird flu from spreading has becoming more challenging as farmers are unwilling to cooperate.
The office said that poultry farmers have stopped reporting deaths of the fowls in their farms to veterinary offices, which is a dangerous trend and a great threat to public health.
Ghimire said that DoAH has recommended the government to raise the compensation and make poultry insurance mandatory. "Farmers need not have to worry if we had implemented poultry insurance effectively," he added. He said that farmers will share their problems with vet officials only after they feel protected from losses.
Bird flu spreading rapidly
The DoAH said that strains of H5N1 virus have been spreading rapidly in the poultry farms in Kathmandu and the adjoining districts. Last week alone, four outbreaks of the virus were reported in the capital, in which over 12,000 chickens were culled. In the last one-and-half months, seven outbreaks have occurred in the district. Rapid response teams comprising vets destroyed thousands of chickens in Dhading, Nuwakot, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur during this period.
Poultry industry big contributor in national GDP
Nepal Poultry Federation (NPF) claimed that the industry has been contributing over three percent to the national GDP and has provided employment to thousands of people. The organization claimed that billions of rupees have been invested by the private sector in the industry, but the government has not given the industry the recognition it deserves.
“Over 75,000 families are directly involved in this profession," said Narayanhari Khatri, first vice-chairman of the organization, adding, "While hundreds of thousands have been benefiting indirectly."
Four different subtypes of H5N1 strain emerge
The Directorate of Animal Health (DoAH) said that four different subtypes of H5N1 virus have been detected in the chickens infected by the bird flu virus. The office said Claude 2.2, 2.3, 2.3.1, 2.3.2 types of viruses were detected in the infected chickens, which are all the subtypes of avian influenza. The Central Animal Health Laboratory under DoAH, where the dead chickens were investigated, said that the virus has been changing its forms, which is challenging. DoAH spokesperson Ghimire said that the government should be prepared to deal with the imminent threat.
Dr Narayan Prasad Grimier, spokesperson at the Directorate of Animal Health (DoAH)
What is causing so many bird flu outbreaks in the capital?
It could be anything from negligence of the farmers and hatcheries to the meager compensation from the government that is keeping the farmers from reporting the suspicious deaths of their chickens. The farmers have even tried to resist vet officials from culling the infected chickens. It is a dangerous trend as it poses a great risk to public health.
How will DoAH respond to the farmers´ grudge regarding compensation?
The farmers have been complaining that the compensation provided by the government is abysmally low. As a result, reporting the death of chickens has declined in recent months. The farmers have even started refusing our surveillance officers entry into their farms. We have recommended the ministry to increase the compensation amount. A single duck costs about Rs 3,000 but the government has been providing only Rs 130. It is an injustice to the farmers. I think the farmers will be more willing to report the deaths to vet officials if they get reasonable compensation. Moreover, we have asked the ministry to implement the insurance of poultry effectively.
How is the government preparing itself to face the upcoming challenges in the poultry business?
More challenges have surfaced with the poultry business evolving into a full-fledged industry. The preparation of the government to deal with upcoming challenges is not sufficient. Additional action plan and preparation is needed to deal with emerging challenges.
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