Free-range poultry ranchers urged to join closed farming scheme

BANGKOK - In an attempt to control the spread of the bird flu virus in Thailand, the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has mapped out measures to assist owners of open poultry farming to switch to closed farming system and has pledged to punish violators.

Dr. Charal Trinvuthipong, Vice Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives, said on Friday that a meeting was held and participants discussed measures to persuade free ranchers to swich to the closed farming system to contain the deadly disease.

Nearly 3,500 free range polutry farmers --3,498--are now registered with the Livestock Development Department, with 3,381 being members of agricultural cooperatives while the remaining 117 not being the members, said Dr. Charal.

Of the total, 1,941 poultry farmers have sought loans from the state-run Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), Dr. Charal said, indicating that the bank had already granted loans amounting to almost Bt171.50 million to 1,237 farmers.

BAAC is now considering extending loans to 223 farmers and has rejected 481 farmers.

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Source: MCOT News

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