"We will not produce chicks for a week till the situation returns to normalcy," said Narayan Kshetri, president of the Feed Industries Association. Kshetri also runs a hatchery and is a member of HAN. About 800,000 chicks are produced every week, he said. He was speaking at an interaction organized by the Reporters Club Nepal to assure people the intake of poultry products is safe in places outside a three kilometer radius from Mechinagar-10, a government-declared crisis zone, after confirmation of the presence of bird flu virus in the area.
Kshetri also said there has been a decrease of about 25 percent in the consumption of poultry products since bird flu was confirmed in Mechinagar last week. “However, the sell on Tuesday improved by about five percent,” he said.
According to Kshetri, the production of chicks was already low due to the decreased import of parent chickens. When the government banned importing poultry products from India after the detection of bird flu there, hatcheries are buying parent chickens from third countries, he said. “Currently, there is the availability of about 35 to 40 percent parent chickens.” Low production would prevail for about next three months.
A farmer invests between Rs 150 and Rs 190 per chicken before it is ready for sale.
All participants, including secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Tek Bahadur Thapa, director general of the Department of Animal Health Prabhakar Pathak, among, others, ate roast chicken served by the club during the program.
Talking to myrepublica.com, director general Pathak said over 13,000 chickens and other birds were culled before mid-Tuesday. “We have culled chickens farmed for commercial purpose,” he said. “About 1500 domestic chickens and birds are left to tackle.”
With a 40 percent fatality rate, there is no cure if the flu is transmitted to human. Approximately 248 people have died worldwide since bird flu was detected in 1997, said secretary Thapa. “Nepal is the 26th country to report the detection of bird flu,” he said.
Swollen and edematous head, running nose, sub-coetaneous hemorrhages in the legs and foot pads are symptoms seen in chickens infected with the flu, Thapa said.
Meanwhile, a report from Mahendranagar said that the government is set to establish check-posts in Karnali bridge and Saule in Dadeldhura. “Keeping in mind the sensitivity of the problem, we have decided to form check-posts,” said Dr Karna Bahadur Bogati, regional director of the Animal Health Division.
Chief District Officer Him Nath Dawadi said the police administration has been informed about the high alert in the area.
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