DNA Parliamentary group leader, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has told Parliament that 80 per cent of the poultry on farms in NWP are dying of 'Ranikhet', which is a poultry disease which was spreading in the area, reports Daily Mirror of Sri Lanka.

Speaking during the committee stage of the Budget in the House on 4 December, Mr Dissanayake alleged that the production of the vaccine that is used to control the disease has been suspended lately, making the situation worse.

He said the vaccine was developed in Sri Lanka locally during the 1960s and production was carried out by the state sector. Mr Dissanayake said the production had come to a standstill after it was handed over to the private sector some years later.

The DNA MP said attention should be paid when importing chicks from various countries.

According to Daily Mirror, he requested the government not to import broilers from India as a precaution to prevent bird flu. This precaution he said should be carried out despite the assurance given by India that she is free of bird flu. He said import of eggs too should be stopped as they would also be a means of spreading the disease.

Further Reading

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Find out more information on Newcastle disease by clicking here.