“Keeping in mind the possible transportation of poultry products from India through the frontier districts, we are on high alert in those districts keeping our surveillance system more vigilant there,” secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operative (MoAC) told myrepublica.com.
A meeting of government officials and poultry farmers on Sunday has decided to request the Ministry of Home to deploy police along the major highways to conduct vigorous checking of vehicles transporting poultry products.
“We have also requested the poultry farmers during the meeting to co-operate with the government with investigation if other cases are traced in other places” said Purshottam Mainali, joint secretary at the MoAC. [break]
According to Mainali, farmers have demanded with the government to resolve the problem of load-shedding and provide relief to them from loss inflicted due to load-shedding.
Secretary Thapa also informed that rapid response team deputed in Mechi Nagar Municipality where first case of bird flu was detected, has culled more than 8,500 chickens by Monday afternoon.
“We have deployed 10 teams—six for poultry farms and four for small household farm— for culling chicken in the bird flu area,” said Thapa.
Thapa said the government is not increasing the compensation amount demanded by local farmers whose poultry is being culled.
The government has set compensation of Rs 500 and Rs 250 for parent chicken of layer and broiler breeds respectively. Likewise all kinds of fowl including chicken and duck have been priced at Rs 100 per head and 50 paisa per egg.
Chicken prices nosedive
Meanwhile, price of chicken has come down sharply after bird flu was traced in Jhapa on Friday.
According to Hari Kumar Rawal, proprietor of Valley Cold Store in Balaju — one of the biggest chicken wholesaler, the price of chicken meat has come down to Rs 148 per kg on Monday from Rs 190 per kg on Friday while the price of live chicken is down to Rs 100 per kg from Rs 100 per kg.
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