Edi Setiarto, the head of the Agriculture and Husbandry Agency, said Thursday the bylaw would ideally be supported by a gubernatorial decree on operational standards for slaughterhouses.

Edi said his agency would also offer small-scale poultry breeders the opportunity to switch to other businesses, such as fish farming.

The ordinance is expected to designate concentrated poultry breeding sites removed from residential areas.

If the process of formulating the ordinance goes smoothly, Edi said it could be enacted by the middle of the year, after Governor Sutiyoso issues a regulation clearing residential areas of chickens and ducks.

A similar plan was made by the city administration in 2005 during the initial outbreak of bird flu in the city. It never materialized.

"Poultry is deeply rooted in the culture of our community. We cannot take it away just like that because of the loss of food security and income," he said.

Source: The Jakarta Post